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

Charbel Coorey
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IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs South Africa 1st T20I Key Players | Malahide Pitch Report

After an eventful ODI series, which saw Ireland create history, attention now moves to a T20I series that is important for both sides. The home side will be keen to continue on from their promising showing in the ODI series, as preparations for the T20 World Cup continues to ramp up. Ireland are drawn alongside Namibia, The Netherlands and struggling Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup Group Stage, so the more confidence they can build ahead of the tournament, the better.

South Africa are coming off an excellent T20I series victory in West Indies. And, if you want to know just how difficult it is to beat such a power-packed Windies side, just ask Australia. The return of Quinton de Kock took South Africa to another level in the third ODI, with Janneman Malan achieving the fourth-highest individual score by a South African batsman in the same game.

However, despite the recent good form, the Proteas still aren’t the finished package. Their finishing with the bat is an area for improvement, as is their death bowling. So, they will use this series as more important game time to get their combinations and execution right ahead of the T20 World Cup.

This will be the first ever T20 International between the two sides, and here’s hoping it’s a beauty.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Ireland:

  • Andy Balbirnie enjoyed a terrific ODI series, where he scored a half-century and century. He has three 50+ scores in four internationals vs South Africa, so he will be hoping he can transfer that form to T20Is.
  • Kevin O’Brien is back in Ireland colours after retiring from 50-over cricket. The experienced batsman has struggled in recent times, with just 27 runs in five internationals this year. Also, he scored just 47 runs in six matches with a top score of 16 in Ireland’s inter-provisional T20 competition. Can he turn things around and find form here?
  • Paul Stirling had an under-par ODI series, but remains crucial to Ireland’s hopes. He has scored just 53 runs in four T20Is on this ground (avg. 13.25, SR 115.21), so Ireland will be hoping for a turnaround here.
  • Harry Tector had a solid ODI series (25, 79, 29). He, George Dockrell and Simi Singh (who scored a century in the third ODI) will be key in finishing the innings well.
  • Josh Little took 11 wickets in six matches in Ireland’s inter-provisional T20 competition (2/21, 3/26, 1/32, 0/21, 3/8, 2/16). This is in addition to four wickets in the ODI series against South Africa (2/45, 2/53). Wicket-taker.
  • Craig Young has taken a wicket in all but one game on this ground (four matches so far).

South Africa:

  • The key man is Quinton de Kock. He had a magnificent series in West Indies (255 runs in five T20Is), followed up by a century in the third ODI vs Ireland. If he gets going, watch out.
  • Aiden Markram was left out of the XI in the third ODI, but he has had a superb year in T20Is. In seven matches, he has struck 292 runs at an average of 41.71 and fantastic strike rate of 158.69. He scored 70 off 48 balls in his last T20I, vs West Indies.
  • Rassie van der Dussen showed glimpses of his best form in the West Indies without making too much of an impact (97 runs, avg. 24.25, one fifty). He will be key here.
  • It’s an important series for Kagiso Rabada as he will be out to lead South Africa’s death-bowling improvement. He recently took seven wickets in the five T20Is vs West Indies, albeit at a high economy rate of 9.44. Lungi Ngidi has the same career economy rate, but is a genuine wicket-taker with 33 scalps in 21 matches (SR 12.90).
  • Tabraiz Shamsi is in outstanding form. Before taking 1/35, 1/42 and 3/46 in the ODIs, Shamsi won player of the series in West Indies with seven wickets at an unbelievable economy rate of just 4.00. The number one ranked T20I will be key here.

Possible Playing 11

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

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

Malahide Pitch Report and Weather

The Malahide track was a beauty for batting in the ODI series. This ground has a first-innings average score of 152, but one feels that this kind of score will be under-par here if we look at how the ODI series transpired. The highest successful run chase on this ground is 182, so any score in that region will certainly be a competitive one.

A top of 20 degrees is forecast for Monday with no rain expected.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs South Africa 1st T20I Key Players | Malahide Pitch Report
IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs South Africa 1st T20I Key Players | Malahide Pitch Report
IRE vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

We could see a high-scoring match given the good pitch and short boundaries on offer. With the T20 cricket South Africa have been playing recently, they are well placed to win this first T20I.

ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 2nd T20I Key Players | Headingley Pitch Report

After one of the classic T20 Internationals, England and Pakistan are set to treat us to more entertainment on a “Super Sunday” of international cricket. A full crowd Trent Bridge got their money worth with 433 runs plundered on another superb English batting wicket. A total of 26 siexes were struck in an incredible game of cricket, where the bowlers left the ground wondering just how they bounce back today.

In the end, Pakistan reminded us of how predictably unpredictable they are. After the top order let them down for most of the ODI series, the Pakistani top four produced the perfect performance en-route to the nation’s highest-ever T20I score. The bowlers, particularly the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain, will be looking to keep England at bay once again with regular wickets.

England will welcome back Jos Buttler, which makes them even more dangerous. After Liam Livingstone hit nine sixes and achieved England’s fastest-ever T20I century, no one can deny an England victory from any position. Incredibly, England scored over 200 without batting their full 20 overs, so expect more fireworks on a ground that is also terrific for batting.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

England:

  • If Jos Buttler fires, watch out. He will be keen to improve on a poor T20I record vs Pakistan (6 inns, 68 runs, avg. 11.33). At Headingley, however, Buttler has smashed 94 runs in two T20s at a strike rate of 184.31.
  • Jason Roy looked in dangerous form in the first T20I, before his innings was cut short on 32 (13 balls). Like Buttler, Roy will be looking to improve on his record vs Pakistan (5 inns, 91 runs, avg. 18.20).
  • Jonny Bairstow has plenty of T20 experience at Headingley. The right-hander has played 32 matches on this ground, with 774 runs at an average of 32.25 and strike rate of 135.08. Against Pakistan, Bairstow has scored 142 runs at an average of 28.40 and strike rate of 125.66.
  • What an innings Liam Livingstone played two days ago. The hard-hitting batsman smashed the fastest T20I century for England, off just 43 balls. Can he back it up with another big effort today?
  • Eyes will be on Saqib Mahmood after he had a superb ODI series. The pace bowler took seven wickets in the three ODIs, followed by an expensive 1/46 in the first T20I. His battle against Pakistan’s top order will be key.

Pakistan:

  • Babar Azam has been at his best in his last two matches. He followed up his superb 158 in the third ODI with a sparkling 49-ball 85 in the first T20I. He now has 242 runs in five T20I innings vs England at an average of 60.50, with three 50+ scores (SR 147.56).
  • Mohammad Rizwan is enjoying a wonderful year in T20s. In addition to 500 runs in PSL 2021, Rizwan has scored 593 runs in 11 T20Is at a superb average and strike rate of 98.83 and 142.89 respectively. He is coming off a 41-ball 63 in the first T20I.
  • Veteran Mohammad Hafeez showed some of the form he displayed in England last year. In that 2020 series, Hafeez slammed 155 runs in three T20Is at a superb strike rate of 176.13, and was dismissed just once. He scored 24 off just 10 balls in the first T20I.
  • Sohaib Maqsood is also one to watch. He was looking mighty dangerous in the first T20I (19 off 7 balls) after a great PSL campaign where he scored 428 runs at a strike rate of 156.77.
  • Shadab Khan concedes over 10 runs per over against England, but he is a wicket-taker. He has eight scalps in four matches against them, including 3/52 in the first match.
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/30) was superb in the first T20I. His battle against England’s top order will make for great viewing. Also, Mohammad Hasnain (1/28) produced some display in a game that saw 433 runs. Can they repeat their strong efforts?

Stats and Facts

  • Head to Head: Matches 18, England 11, Pakistan 6, Tie 1 (ENG WON), NR 1.
  • Pakistan have won their last two T20Is in England.
  • England have not lost a T20I series at home since 2018 vs India.
  • Eoin Morgan has been in scratchy form of late. However, he has the most runs in ENG-PAK T20Is (406, avg. 36.90, SR 137.16).

Possible Playing 11

Paul Collingwood has confirmed that Jos Buttler is good to go. He will likely replace Moeen Ali.

England: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Jos Buttler (wk), 3. Dawid Malan, 4. Jonny Bairstow, 5. Liam Livingstone, 6. Eoin Morgan (c), 7. Lewis Gregory, 8. David Willey, 9. Tom Curran/Chris Jordan, 10. Matt Parkinson, 11. Saqib Mahmood

Pakistan should look to stick with the winning combination.

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

Headingley Leeds Pitch Report and Weather

Another great batting pitch is expected for this one, with sunny conditions forecast. The average first-innings score in the T20 Blast on this ground this season is a high 192. With the firepower available in both sides, another high-scoring match certainly won’t be a surprise.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 2nd T20I Key Players | Headingley Pitch Report
ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 2nd T20I Key Players | Headingley Pitch Report
ENG vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Another cracking contest in store here. Pakistan will be tough to beat, but England have enough firepower to bounce back with a win.

ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh 2nd ODI Key Players | Harare Pitch Report

The first ODI was a bit of a record-breaker for Bangladesh. Not only did they solidify their position towards the top of the ODI Super League table, but Shakib Al Hasan became their highest-ever ODI wicket-taker as the Tigers achieved their biggest victory in ODIs on away soil.

The 155-run victory was mighty comfortable in the end, but it wasn’t always the case. Bangladesh were in trouble at 76/4, with only Liton Das able to handle the movement and bounce available for the bowlers. The right-hander masterminded yet another big score against Zimbabwe, leading Bangladesh to a very competitive 276/9 in the end.

Overall, it was a very disappointing outing for the home side, particularly with the bat. To only bat for 28.5 overs is cause for significant reflection, as they now face a fight to keep the series alive. One piece of hope they might cling onto is the fact that they were beaten comprehensively in the first ODI vs Bangladesh in 2013 only to bounce back and take the series 2-1. However, this Zimbabwe looks to lack the depth to produce good cricket for extended periods.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  • Both the Test and first ODI showed just how important Brendan Taylor is to this team. His wicket has seen a flurry of wickets fall afterwards, which undoubtedly makes his wicket the key one for Bangladesh.
  • No player has more runs at Harare than Taylor, with 2,091 runs at 42.67. Zimbabwe will be hoping he improves on his home record vs Bangladesh, which reads: 21 inns, 604 runs, avg. 31.78.
  • Regis Chakabva was a bright spot on a tough day for Zimbabwe in the first ODI. He took four catches and scored a fluent 51-ball 54, which was his first half-century in 15 ODIs vs Bangladesh.
  • Wesley Madhevere was promoted to opener but the move didn’t pay off in the first ODI. However, he did make a promising start to his career with six double-figure scores in a row, including scores of 35, 52 and 42 vs Bangladesh in Sylhet last year.
  • Luke Jongwe’s ability to take wickets in the middle and death overs will be key for Zimbabwe (3/51 in first ODI). He will also be key with the bat.
  • Blessing Muzarabani continues to take wickets on a regular basis. He is coming off a fine spell of 2/47, after he took seven wickets in three matches at an average of 19.71 vs Pakistan last year.

Bangladesh:

  • If Shakib Al Hasan fails with the bat, he can make up for it with the ball. His 5/30 was his first five-wicket haul away from home in ODIs, taking his tally vs Zimbabwe to 79 wickets at a superb average of 20.15.
  • In Zimbabwe, Shakib averages a healthy 38.37 with the bat in 18 ODI knocks, along with 23 wickets at 31.86.
  • If Zimbabwe is the opponent, then back Liton Das to go big. The keeper-batsman scored his third ODI century in 10 matches vs Zimbabwe, taking his tally against them to 524 runs at a fine average of 58.22.
  • Tamim Iqbal does not enjoy batting at Harare. In six ODIs, Tamim has struck just 86 runs at an average of 14.33 on this ground. However, he is a class player with a good overall record vs Zimbabwe: 1,684 runs, avg. 42.10.
  • Afif Hossain impressed with his finishing, scoring 45 off 35 balls. He and Mahmudullah look in good touch.
  • Mohammad Saifuddin enjoys bowling against Zimbabwe. He has taken 12 wickets in six ODIs against them at an average of 17.58, and he will be key with the new ball especially if Bangladesh bowl first.
  • Taskin Ahmed is generating some great pace and movement on this tour. After taking five wickets in the Test, Taskin then bowled well again in the first ODI taking 1/22 in five overs. Key bowler.

Stats and Facts

  • Bangladesh have won an incredible 17 consecutive ODIs vs Zimbabwe. The last time Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh was in Bulawayo in 2013.
  • Dion Myers has made three starts in three knocks in international cricket. He also scored 42 off 29 balls in the tour match a few days ago.
  • Zimbabwe currently sit bottom of the ODI Super League points table. However, if they win today and Sri Lanka lose vs India, they will move off the bottom.

Possible Playing 11

Timycen Maruma injured his hamstring in the first ODI. Sikandar Raza could replace him.

Another option Zimbabwe have is pushing Wesley Madhevere down the order and bringing in Tinashe Kamunhukamwe to open.

Zimbabwe: 1 Wesley Madhevere, 2 Tadiwanashe Marumani, 3 Brendan Taylor (capt), 4 Dion Myers, 5 Regis Chakabva (wk), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Ryan Burl, 8 Luke Jongwe, 9 Blessing Muzarabani, 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Richard Ngarava

Liton Das picked up a hand injury in the first ODI. His fitness is being monitored. If he is unavailable, then Nurul Hasan will replace him.

Bangladesh: 1. Tamim Iqbal (c), 2. Liton Das (wk), 3. Shakib Al Hasan, 4. Mohammad Mithun, 5. Mosaddek Hossain, 6. Mahmudullah, 7. Afif Hossain, 8. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9. Mohammad Saifuddin, 10. Taskin Ahmed, 11. Shoriful Islam

Harare Pitch Report and Weather

Predictably, conditions were helpful for the seamers in the morning, as often the case in Zimbabwe. With sunny conditions forecast today, batting conditions are expected to be more pleasant in the afternoon. So, expect the captain who wins the toss to bowl first.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh 2nd ODI Key Players | Harare Pitch Report
ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh 2nd ODI Key Players | Harare Pitch Report
ZIM vs BAN 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Zimbabwe’s best chance of victory is bowling first and restricting Bangladesh to a score below 250. If Bangladesh score in the region of 250-270 or bowl first, then it is hard to see Zimbabwe getting a win.

SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs India 1st ODI Key Players | Colombo Pitch Report

Sri Lanka’s cricketers are now physically out of isolation. However, Sri Lanka are plunging further and further into isolation on the international cricketing radar, as their disappointing decline hit another low in their recent tour of England. And, to make things worse, skipper Kusal Perera is out for six weeks after suffering a shoulder injury, further deepening Sri Lanka’s woes as they could end up bottom of the ODI Super League table by the end of this game.

One has to ask how a nation that was so strong for so long end up in this position? Domestic structures are all over the place and those at board level don’t have a clear strategy of where to go next. Worse, Dhananjaya de Silva, who was a positive for Sri Lanka in England, is in doubt to due to back complaint. Indeed, it is easy to see why a new-look India are overwhelming favourites to take out both the ODI and T20I series, with fans, pundits and general followers of the game wondering where Sri Lanka can get the upper hand.

Shikhar Dhawan leads an India squad filled with talent. The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Rahul Chahar, among others, have lit up the domestic scene. No doubt, all who get an opportunity for India here will be looking to make the most of it to stay on the selectors’ radar for future series. With competition for places heating up by the second, a big series here will do wonders.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sri Lanka:

  • In the absence of Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando will have a key role to play at the top of the order. He scored 20 in his only ODI vs India to date, back in 2019.
  • Sri Lanka will be hoping that Dhananjaya de Silva is fit to play. He scored 91 in the recent ODI series against England. He scored 29* off 36 balls in his only ODI vs India back in 2019.
  • Wanindu Hasaranga has been a shining light in a dark period for Sri Lankan cricket. In his last eight ODIs, he has scored 47, 80*, 74, 6, 18, 54, 26 and 20. However, he will be looking to improve on his five wickets in nine ODIs this year (avg. 64.60), despite a good economy rate of 4.36.
  • Akila Dananjaya has taken 14 wickets in six ODIs at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo (avg. 17.71).
  • Dushmantha Chameera has also been a positive for the Sri Lankans. He has taken 18 wickets in his last eight white-ball internationals, including excellent performances against a strong England side. He took 0/104 in 17 overs vs India in 2017, so he and his team will be hoping for a significant improvement this time around.

India:

  • Shikhar Dhawan has been outstanding in white-ball cricket over the past couple of years. And, he loves playing against Sri Lanka. In 19 ODIs against them, Dhawan has slammed 983 runs at an average of 70.21, including four centuries and five half-centuries.
  • Prithvi Shaw has enjoyed a terrific 2021 in white-ball cricket after a tough 2020. Shaw absolutely dominated the Vijay Hazare Trophy, smashing 827 runs in eight matches at an unbelievable average of 165.40. This included a score of 227*.
  • Suryakumar Yadav is set to make his ODI debut. In five matches in the 2021 Vijay Hazare Trophy, Yadav struck 332 runs at 61.40. When you couple this with his superb IPL performances, Yadav is certainly one to watch.
  • Surprisingly, Hardik Pandya has a poor ODI batting record vs Sri Lanka (6 inns, 53 runs, avg. 10.60). His finishing could be something to behold here, especially if India’s top order sets a great platform.
  • Will Bhuvneshwar Kumar hit his straps right away? He was superb earlier this year before getting injured, taking six wickets in three ODIs vs England. Against Sri Lanka, Kumar has taken 17 wickets in 13 ODIs at an average of 29.88, including 5/42 in his last ODI at this ground.
  • If Kuldeep Yadav plays, he will be keen to take the opportunity with both hands given his difficult moments in recent years. In 2017, Kuldeep took three wickets in two ODIs in Sri Lanka at an average of 23.66 and economy rate of just 3.80.

Possible Playing 11

According to Island Cricket, Dhananjaya de Silva has suffered an injury scare at training. He went for CT scans for a back complaint, so it remains to be seen if the vice-captain is fit to play.

Also, Binura Fernando is not expected to be fit for this ODI series.

Sri Lanka: 1. Avishka Fernando, 2. Pathum Nissanka, 3. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 4. Dhananjaya de Silva, 5. Minod Bhanuka (wk), 6. Wanindu Hasaranga, 7. Dasun Shakana (c), 8. Isura Udana, 9. Akila Dananjaya, 10. Dushmantha Chameera, 11. Lahiru Kumara/Lakshan Sandakan

There are also a number of different possibilities for India’s XI. However, the tourists look in a much healthier place than their opposition, with a number of talented players to choose from.

Prithvi Shaw has been outstanding in white-ball cricket in 2021, and is likely to open according to reports. Also, Sanju Samson could be the man picked to don the gloves, and India could go for three spinning options if Hardik bowls.

India: 1. Shikhar Dhawan (c), 2. Prithvi Shaw, 3. Suryakumar Yadav, 4. Sanju Samson (wk), 5. Manish Pandey, 6. Hardik Pandya, 7. Krunal Pandya, 8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9. Deepak Chahar, 10. Kuldeep Yadav/Rahul Chahar, 11. Yuzvendra Chahal

R Premadasa Stadium Colombo Pitch Report and Weather

Since 2017, it has been pretty even between setting and chasing teams on this ground. And, this ground has traditionally been a beauty for batting. The team batting first won four of seven ODIs between 2017 and 2019, with an average first innings score of 303.43.

The forecast is for mostly cloudy weather with a chance of some showers throughout the day.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs India 1st ODI Key Players | Colombo Pitch Report
SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs India 1st ODI Key Players | Colombo Pitch Report
SL vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Sri Lanka are scrambling just to be competitive. India is a side full of talented players looking to make a mark.

India to win.

Why did Pakistan lose 3-0 to an understrength England?

Vaibhav Tripathi
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0
Why did Pakistan lose 3-0 to an understrength England?

Why did Pakistan lose 3-0 to an understrength England? | Reasons why Pakistan lost the ODI series 3-0 to an understrength England

A full-strength Pakistan team were incredibly whitewashed 3-0 by England’s second-string side in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series.

3-0 was always on the cards, but the team who achieved it was somewhat of a surprise. Many were expecting this scoreline to be in favour of Pakistan and not the other way around, particularly with an inexperienced England squad which had only James Vince and Ben Stokes with more than 10 ODIs to their name.

Before the series, England announced an overhauled 16-member squad for the series after COVID-19 cases in its original squad forced the players into quarantine. A confident Pakistan team came into the series after winning their last six international bilateral series, including an ODI series win in South Africa. Against a completely new-look England team, Pakistan started as the favourites to win the series with their key players like Babar Azam, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Rizwan all in top form.

However, England’s nothing-to-lose approach and lack of fighting spirit from the Babar Azam-led Pakistan team resulted in a humiliation for the Asian Giants. In this article, we discover the points why Pakistan lost the series which they should’ve won.

Babar Azam’s mediocre form with the bat in the first two ODIs

If we take out his splendid innings from the third ODI at Edgbaston, Pakistan’s skipper didn’t really find his mojo with the bat in the series. He started the England limited-overs tour with a duck in the first ODI which was followed by another low score of 19 in the second. Babar got big runs in the final one-dayer but it was too late for Pakistan and even his career-best score couldn’t save Pakistan from a series whitewash. From Pakistan’s point of view, Babar should’ve set the tone of the series from the first game which he failed to do, and that translated on the performance of the other batters.

Openers failing to get big starts

Be it any form of the game, you need your openers to set the tone for the batsmen to follow. Two of Pakistan’s best ODI batsmen in Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman failed to produce any substantial partnership at the top.

Losing early wickets minimises the team’s chances to put up a big total or chase down one. Fakhar came into this series off the back of two spectacular tons in South Africa but was undone by three different bowlers in the series, totalling just 63 runs in three innings. The same was the case with Fakhar’s opening partner, who scored just 57 runs in the three innings.

Imam did salvage things a bit with a half-century in the final ODI, but couldn’t get to the three-figure mark. Pakistan is a team that relies heavily on their top order as they still haven’t fixed their middle-order. Unfortunately for Pakistan, the top order didn’t produce enough.

Shaheen Shah Afridi’s off show with the ball

The tall lanky left-arm pacer had an ordinary series with the ball as the Englishmen milked runs off him in the powerplay and later. Shaheen’s ineffectiveness with the ball was the major worry for Pakistan as in the recent past he has been the wicket-taking option for the Asian Giants.

He gave away too many boundary balls and lacked control especially in the first powerplay where he’s been the most effective in the 50-over format. Before the start of the series, expectations were high from the young pacer because of his record with the white ball in the UK. Many cricket pundits believe that Shaheen was trying too hard to take wickets instead of sticking to the basics which resulted in his downfall in the series.

Shadab failed once again

There are growing concerns over Shadab’s role in the one-day team. Shadab had a poor series with bat and ball, picking up only three wickets and leaking runs at an economy rate of 5.6. It wasn’t much better with the bat, scoring just 51 runs at 17.0.

The 22-year old’s primary role is to take wickets in the middle phase of the game and contribute with runs. Sadly, it hasn’t been smooth sailing in either department. This has been the case with Pakistan’s budding all-rounder in the last few limited-overs series.

Written by Vaibhav Tripathi. Follow Vaibhav on Twitter today.

ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Aditya Narsale
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0
ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 1st T20I Key Players | Trent Bridge Pitch Report

After the brilliant win in the three-match ODI series with a second string team, England are favourites for T20I series too. With some key players coming back for the T20I series, the Three Lions would be looking for another dominating win over a sub-continental team as they look to ramp up their T20 World Cup preparations.

Eoin Morgan is back after the self-isolation period. Other key players are also back, with two new guys – Saqib Mahmood and Lewis Gregory – rewarded for their terrific performance in the ODI series. After watching the second team dominate Pakistan, England will be keen to transfer that form to the T20Is. However, given their opponents’ unpredictability, nothing is set in stone.

After a 3-0 defeat in the ODI series, Pakistan will be motivated to overturn their fortunes in the three-match T20I series. There were plenty of encouraging signs for Pakistan in the final ODI, and in spite of a fresh and more talented England team as opponents, Pakistan should be at their most confident on the tour. They have a strong squad and are in good form in this format, but will be looking to solve three key issues in their T20 game.

An exciting contest ahead.

Match Details 

  • Match: ENG vs PAK, 1st T20I, Pakistan tour of England, 2021
  • Date and Time: Friday, July 16, 2021. 11:00 PM (IST).
  • Venue: Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

England:

  • Jos Buttler – The BOSS is back in the team and is all set to fire-up as opener. The WK batsman missed a major part of the series against Sri Lanka due to injury. He has a terrific record on this ground in ODIs (8 inns, 439 runs, avg. 73.16, SR 120.27), so will be looking to transfer this to T20s.
  • Jonny Bairstow –  The Yorkshireman is comfortable in any of the top four places in England’s batting line-up. He is coming in with great form as well. He has scored 134 runs in six innings at avg. of 32.57 and SR of 123.58 against PAK.
  • Dawid Malan, the top-ranked T20I batsman, will be key. He scored 78* (46) in his last T20I vs Sri Lanka, and also scored a half-century in his last T20I vs Pakistan (54* off 36 balls).
  • Eoin Morgan is back in form with his brilliant half-century in the ODIs against SL. He has played the most matches and has the most runs among all players in ENGvsPAK T20Is. 390 runs in 15 matches are those numbers, with 66 off 33 balls in his last T20I vs Pakistan.
  • The new comer, Lewis Gregory has some real talent and he proved that in the recent ODI series. We can look at him as Sam Curran’s replacement as he can score some runs while batting. He is an inform player with four wickets in three innings and 117 runs in two innings in the most recent ODI series against Pakistan.
  • Saqib Mahmood is having a superb year in white-ball cricket. He is coming off 4/42, 2/21 and 3/60 in the ODI series.

Pakistan: 

  • The 2nd ranked T20I batsman is coming off great form with his career best score (158) in the third ODI. When we talk about T20Is against England, Babar Azam is only behind Hafeez in the current Pakistan squad. The skipper has 157 runs to his name in four innings at an avg. of 52.33.
  • Pakistan’s wicket keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan has been in dream form in T20s. After having a great PSL and SA series, he is all set to take on England in his favourite form of cricket. He scored a brilliant half century in the last ODI against England. 
  • Mohammad Hafeez was the star for Pakistan in the T20Is vs England last year. He struck 155 runs in three T20Is at a superb strike rate of 176.13, and was dismissed just once.
  • 22 year-old allrounder Shadab Khan has some good numbers against England in T20Is. He has five wickets in three innings to his name. He can also contribute runs with the bat.
  • Haris Rauf – the fast bowler had a successful day in Birmingham in the final ODI with four wickets. He had a fine PSL season and now he has to resist the aggressive nature of English hitters. He can give some little batting cameos as well.
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi needs to perform like T20 legend Shahid Afridi against England. He has to lead his bowling attack with some early wickets. The better he performs, the chances of PAK win increase. He took two wickets in three T20Is vs England last year (avg. 41.00), so he will be hoping for an improvement.

Stats and Facts

  • Head to Head: Matches 18, England 11, Pakistan 5, Tie 1 (ENG WON), NR 1.
  • Last 5 matches: England 2, Pakistan 2, NR 1.
  • England have won one T20I out of two on this ground. Pakistan won their single T20I at Trent Bridge to date.
  • Sohaib Maqsood had a strike rate of over 150 in the PSL.
  • Jos Buttler will be returning to the team after a short break due to a calf injury. Sam Billings is out of the whole series as he is rested after testing positive to Covid-19.
  • The interesting battle between the 1st ranked (Dawid Malan) and 2nd ranked (Babar Azam) T20I batsmen is on the cards. It will be interesting to see who scores more in the match and the series as well.

Squads

England: Eoin Morgan (Captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, David Willey

Paul Collingwood will oversee the team as head coach with Chris Silverwood to take a break.

Pakistan:  Babar Azam (Captain), Fakhar Zaman, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammed Hafeez, Usman Qadir, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Azam Khan, Mohammed Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Arshad Iqbal, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammed Hasnain, Shaheen Afridi.

Possible Playing 11

England: 1. Jos Buttler (wk), 2. Jason Roy, 3. Dawid Malan, 4. Jonny Bairstow, 5. Eoin Morgan (c), 6. Liam Livingstone/Moeen Ali,  7. Lewis Gregory, 8. Chris Jordan, 9. Saqib Mahmood, 10. Jake Ball/David Willey, 11. Adil Rashid

Hasan Ali is out of this match due to a slight strain in his left leg. Pakistan could opt for Shahnawaz Dahani, who took the most wickets in PSL 2021 (20).

Pakistan: 1. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2. Babar Azam (c), 3. Fakhar Zaman, 4. Mohammad Hafeez, 5. Sohaib Maqsood, 6. Shadab Khan, 7. Faheem Ashraf, 8. Imad Wasim/Mohammad Nawaz, 9. Shahnawaz Dahani/Mohammad Hasnain, 10. Shaheen Afridi, 11. Haris Rauf

Trent Bridge Pitch Report and Weather

This is the first T20I game at this venue since June 2012. Trent Bridge usually provides a good batting surface, and reports suggest it will be more of the same here, along with the short boundaires. This is despite plenty of rain in recent times.

Trent Bridge has a run rate of 8.70 in T20 cricket over the past four years, which is the fourth-highest of any ground in the world.

The temperature will be around 25 degrees at the start of the game, dipping to the low 20s as the match progresses. Some clouds may be present during the match, but conditions should be fine.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 1st T20I Key Players | Trent Bridge Pitch Report
ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 1st T20I Key Players | Trent Bridge Pitch Report
ENG vs PAK 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

England’s elite players are back in the squad, and their team looks even stronger. So I am expecting England to win.

IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs South Africa 3rd ODI Key Players | Belfast Pitch Report

A good underdog story is a reminder that cricket exists beyond the “big three.” A good underdog story is a reminder that cricket has the potential to grow around the world, and create truly wonderful moments. This series, perhaps not on the radar of fans around the globe, certainly deserves the attention.

Ireland have had their fair share of great moments over the years, but their first ODI win over South Africa, after a period of consistent cricket thanks to the ODI Super League, is special. Their performance so far in this series has been nothing short of outstanding, with the latest being a clinical and composed takedown of the Proteas. Consistent bowling was preceded by wonderful finishing to an innings that deserved a strong score courtesy of Andy Balbirnie’s superb century.

So, a big question is whether Ireland can convert this into a series win. The other is whether South Africa can bounce back and pick up important Super League points. Before the opening ODI, this series was rightly viewed as an opportunity for the Proteas to move up the Super League table. However, two games later, their only points in Ireland have been courtesy of a no result. While their batting was well under-par last time out, it is their bowling that has surprisingly struggled for penetration. They have taken just seven wickets in 90.2 overs to date, with their death bowling an area of concern, too.

Strap yourselves in, this one promises to be another interesting matchup.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Ireland:

  • It’s safe to say that Andy Balbirnie enjoys playing against South Africa. The Ireland skipper now has three 50+ scores in as many ODIs against the Proteas, including a superb century last time out. He will be crucial once again.
  • Paul Stirling remains ODI cricket’s premier run-scorer in 2021 (586 runs, avg. 65.11). In this series, he has batted past the 10-over mark twice, only to get out after making a start (scores of 13 and 27). Stirling has the most runs at Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast with 651 runs at 34.26.
  • The coming of age of Harry Tector? The right-hander played a blinder last game (79 off 68 balls) in a career that has been filled with starts. Can he back it up with another big effort here?
  • Josh Little has taken nine wickets in his last four ODIs, including a fine spell of 2/45 in the second ODI. Watch out for his battle with Quinton de Kock, if it does eventuate.
  • Andy McBrine showed his all-round credentials with 30 (47) and 2/34 in the second ODI. Key player.

South Africa:

  • Quinton de Kock is set to return after being rested for the first two ODIs. And South Africa needs him to fire like he did in the T20Is vs West Indies (255 runs in five matches). In two ODIs against Ireland, he has a score of 82.
  • Jannemann Malan continues to impress when given the opportunity. His 84 in the second ODI put South Africa in a position to push for victory.
  • Temba Bavuma has a century to his name vs Ireland. He needs to lead the way as skipper. Rassie van der Dussen was inches away from his 10th 50+ score in 19 ODI innings (49 in the second ODI). He will be key once again.
  • Kagiso Rabada has the most wickets of any bowler this series (3), but has been on the expensive side (econ. 5.50). He has the potential to make significant inroads into the Irish batting order if he can fire here. As does Anrich Nortje, who went wicketless in the second ODI.
  • Tabraiz Shamsi continues to bowl in economical fashion. His series figures read 18-1-77-2, and will be key again in building pressure in the middle overs.

Stats and Facts

  • Ireland’s win in the second ODI was their first ever victory over South Africa.
  • Ireland have only ever won two ODI series against full-member nations: 3-0 against Zimbabwe in 2019 and 2-1 against Afghanistan in 2017.
  • Quinton de Kock needs just 28 runs to reach 10,000 international runs as a wicket-keeper.
  • Mark Adair has taken nine wickets in four ODIs at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast.

Possible Playing 11

William Porterfield, who scored 63 in the first ODI, missed the second match due to a finger injury. His fitness is being monitored.

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

Quinton de Kock is set to slot back in for South Africa, likely for Aiden Markram. Also, the Proteas could look to play three specialist quicks in place of either Andile Phehlukwayo or Keshav Maharaj. The third seamer could be Lizaad Williams, who took seven wickets in four T20Is vs Pakistan earlier in 2021.

South Africa: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Janneman Malan, 3. Temba Bavuma (c), 4. Rassie van der Dussen, 5. Kyle Verreynne, 6. David Miller, 7. Andile Phehlukwayo, 8. Kagiso Rabada, 9. Anrich Nortje, 10. Lizaad Williams, 11. Tabraiz Shamsi

Civil Service Cricket Club Belfast Pitch Report and Weather

Some seam movement will be available early, but if you get through the initial stages, batting looks to be very pleasant. The forecast is for a temperature in the low 20s with only a small chance of rain.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs South Africa 3rd ODI Key Players | Belfast Pitch Report
IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs South Africa 3rd ODI Key Players | Belfast Pitch Report
IRE vs SA 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Ireland are playing with plenty of confidence, but the return of Quinton de Kock can prove to be a big boost for the Proteas. It promises to be a competitive match, but South Africa will emerge victorious.

ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0

ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh 1st ODI Key Players | Harare Pitch Report

The Zimbabwe-Bangladesh rivalry has another chapter, with the ODI series having an extra dimension this time around. Not only will both sides be keen to win bragging rights over the other, but important ODI Super League points are up for grabs.

For Bangladesh, they can certainly use this series as an opportunity to solidify their standing towards the top of the Super League table. Before England’s brilliance in their home season, Bangladesh sat atop the rankings thanks to series victories against West Indies and Sri Lanka. However, Mushfiqur Rahim, who was outstanding in the series against Sri Lanka, won’t be available for this series for personal reasons, placing onus on the others, including the returning Shakib Al Hasan, to produce the goods.

This series is more crucial for Zimbabwe, however. They currently sit bottom of the points table, and face a tough test with various experienced players, including Sean Williams and Craig Ervine, missing for various reasons. They can hold hope in the fact that Harare conditions can enable their bowlers to put Bangladesh’s batsmen under pressure, particularly if they get the chance to bowl first. Indeed, the Zimbabweans showed some good signs in the Test match, but need to produced prolonged periods of good cricket to get over the line.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Zimbabwe:

  • With the absence of so many experienced players, Brendan Taylor undoubtedly has a key role to play. The stand-in Zimbabwe skipper was outstanding in the Test (81 off 92 balls and 92 off 73 balls).
  • Taylor has the second-most runs of any player in ZIM-BAN ODIs (1,410). However, he will be looking to improve on his average of 28.77 in his 53 ODIs vs Bangladesh. In Zimbabwe, this head-to-head average increases to 32.22 (580 runs).
  • Dion Myers scored 42 off 29 balls in the tour match a couple of days ago. He also comes into the match on the back of two starts in the Test match, so he has time at the crease under his belt.
  • Wesley Madhevere showed some very positive signs in white-ball cricket to date. He has made a double-figure score in each of his six knocks in ODI cricket, including scores of 35, 52 and 42 vs Bangladesh in Sylhet last year.
  • The presence of Sikandar Raza can hold Zimbabwe in good stead. He will be keen to improve on his career numbers vs Bangladesh (480 runs avg. 28.33, nine wickets avg. 60.55). However, out of his 17 ODIs vs the Tigers, just three have been at home, back in 2013 (61 runs).
  • This is set to be Ryan Burl’s first ODI against Bangladesh. In two T20Is against them, he has scored a half-century and has a strike rate of 165.71. He will be keen to make a difference.
  • Blessing Muzarabani has the potential to take wickets in any match he plays. He was superb in Pakistan in 2020, taking seven wickets in three matches at an average of 19.71.

Bangladesh:

  • Tamim Iqbal missed the Test due to a knee injury, but played in the one-day warm-up match where he scored 66 off 62 balls. No player has more runs in BAN-ZIM ODIs than Tamim, with 1,684 at a fine average of 43.17.
  • However, Tamim has a poor record at Harare Sports Club. In five ODIs on this ground, Tamim has struck 86 runs at an average of 17.20. Can he improve on this today?
  • Shakib Al Hasan’s 1,404 ODI runs vs Zimbabwe come at an average of 40.11. In Zimbabwe, Shakib has scored 595 runs at an average of 39.66, along with 18 wickets in 18 ODIs at an average of 39.05.
  • In Harare, Shakib still poses a solid record of 236 runs in eight ODIs at an average of 36.29, along with eight wickets at 37.75.
  • Liton Das remains inconsistent in international cricket. However, he enjoys playing against Zimbabwe. In nine ODIs against them, Liton has struck 422 runs at 52.75, including two centuries. He is coming off a fine knock of 95 in the Test match.
  • Mahmudullah is coming off a memorable final Test, where he scored 150 and won player of the match. His role as a finisher will be key here; he has 686 runs vs Zimbabwe at an average of 31.18.
  • Mustafizur Rahman, if fit, will have a key role to play. He is a genuine wicket-taker in ODIs, with 16 in nine games vs Zimbabwe at an average of just 16.06. Mohammad Saifuddin also has a fine record vs Zimbabwe, with 11 scalps in five ODIs at an average of 17.09.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 76, Zimbabwe 28, Bangladesh 47.
  • In Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe lead Bangladesh 15-13.
  • Mehidy Hasan Miraz is the second-ranked bowler in ODI cricket. He will be key here with his accuracy and Zimbabwe’s tendency to lose wickets to spin.
  • Taskin Ahmed is yet to play an ODI vs Zimbabwe. He is coming off a fine Test match, where he took five wickets and constantly looked threatening.
  • Tendai Chatara currently has the most wickets of any current Zimbabwe bowler vs Bangladesh (16 in 11 matches, avg. 30.68).
  • No player has more ODI runs at Harare Sports Club than Brendan Taylor (2,067 runs, avg. 43.06).

Possible Playing 11

Brian Chari, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams and Tendai Chisoro are all out of the squad, with the likes of Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza available. Timycen Maruma scored a run-a-ball 59 in the warm-up match two days ago.

Zimbabwe: 1. Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, 2. Tadiwanashe Marumani, 3. Dion Myers, 4. Brendan Taylor (c & wk), 5. Wesley Madhevere, 6. Sikandar Raza, 7. Ryan Burl, 8. Donald Tiripano, 9. Richard Ngarava, 10. Blessing Muzarabani, 11. Tendai Chatara

Mushfiqur Rahim is out for personal reasons. Also, Mustafizur Rahman is reportedly a 50-50 chance to play after picking up an injury in the warm-up match, where he bowled just one delivery. Yesterday, captain Tamim Iqbal said, “He is 50-50 now. We will get an idea about him after today.”

Also, Tamim is set to play, but has to manage his knee injury. “My injury is in such a state that it will not go away quickly. It will not heal in five to six days. The physio gave me a plan. Hopefully I can manage it in the series,” said Tamim.

Bangladesh: 1 Tamim Iqbal (c), 2 Mohammad Naim, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Liton Das (wk), 5 Mosaddek Hossain, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Afif Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Shoriful Islam/Mustafizur Rahman

Harare Sports Club Pitch Report and Weather

This is the first ODI at Harare since Zimbabwe beat UAE 4-0 in 2019. Three of those matches were won by the team chasing, which can be a trend to follow in Harare ODIs. In 2011, when Bangladesh last played ODIs in Harare, Zimbabwe won two of three games when chasing after taking advantage of some early morning movement.

The captain who wins the toss here could look to bowl first with afternoon conditions likely to be pleasant for batting. The forecast is for a top of 19 degrees with mostly sunny conditions.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh 1st ODI Key Players | Harare Pitch Report
ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh 1st ODI Key Players | Harare Pitch Report
ZIM vs BAN 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Zimbabwe will need their experienced players to lead the way, with good contributions from up-and-coming players. Bowling first could be an advantage, but Bangladesh, even without Mushfiqur Rahim, are the favourites and should win.

T20 World Cup contenders? 3 areas for Pakistan to improve

Debashish Sarangi
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0
T20 World Cup contenders? 3 areas for Pakistan to improve

3 areas for Pakistan to work on if they wish to be T20 World Cup contenders | T20 World Cup contenders? 3 areas for Pakistan to improve

We are getting closer to the T20 World Cup with each passing day. Therefore, it is important for every team to resolve whatever issues they have in their T20 side prior to the mega event.

Tagged as the “unpredictables” in the cricket fraternity, Pakistan have a very decent T20I record in recent times. However, things have not been as smooth as they appear on paper. They have some real issues, which have been exposed in recent times, and need to address those quickly in order to get themselves prepared for the T20 World Cup.

In this article, I am going to highlight three such areas to work on for Pakistan in their upcoming series against a strong English side.

Also read: Twitter reactions to Pakistan’s 3-0 defeat vs inexperienced, new-look England

Performance of the middle order batsmen

3 areas for Pakistan to work on if they wish to be T20 World Cup contenders | T20 World Cup contenders? 3 areas for Pakistan to improve
Pakistan T20 World Cup contenders? Sohaib Maqsood can make a difference given his recent form.

Pakistan have won seven out of their 10 T20Is in 2021. In the seven games they have won, their top three batsmen have scored 77.78% of the total runs (excluding extras). On the other hand, their top order has contributed 49.72% of the total runs in the three T20Is they have lost. This shows that their batting relies largely on their top three, and they have failed as a batting unit whenever their top order batsmen have failed to score big.

If I consider the T20Is they have played since the start of 2020, batsmen from numbers 4-7 batsmen have cumulative average and SR of just 18.53 and 121.14. They have a boundary run percentage of a mere 52.8,1 and have taken 7.11 deliveries to hit a single boundary.

So, it is evident from these facts that this problem has been persistent with them for quite a while now. They have tried so many players at different positions, but have not been able to find their best players to bat in the middle order so far, which is definitely a matter of concern. They are in the “group of death” involving Australia, West Indies and New Zealand in the upcoming T20 World Cup, need to resolve their middle order woes to be competitive.

Batting in the powerplay while batting first

Contrary to their reputation, Pakistan have been a good chasing side in recent times. Since 2020, they have won 10 out of the 11 games they were required to chase.

However, they have been ordinary while batting first as they have lost four out of the nine such games. One of the major reasons for these defeats is the approach of their batsmen in the powerplay phase. Generally, in the first six overs of a T20 game, you need to exploit the field restrictions and take your chances in order to provide a quick start to your side. But, the Pakistani batsmen haven’t been able to do that consistently.

Talking about the T20Is they have batted first in since 2020, the Pakistani batsmen have a cumulative SR of just 111.12 in the first six overs. Their dot-ball percentage is a huge 48.76 and they have taken almost six balls to hit a boundary in the powerplay phase. Also, they have lost almost two wickets on an average in the first six overs of the game, which has put them on the back foot.

Therefore, they definitely need to work on this area if they want to put challenging totals while batting first.

Bowling in the powerplay against top sides since 2020

If I exclude Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, Pakistan have played 13 games against top-class opponents like England, New Zealand and South Africa since 2020. They have won seven and lost five out of these 13 matches; one game being abandoned due to rain.

In those 12 completed games, the Pakistani bowlers have not been up to the mark in the first six overs. Statistically, they have a cumulative bowling average of 38.18 in the powerplay, coupled with a strike rate of 27, highlighting their struggle to take wickets in the powerplay. They have conceded runs at an economy rate of 8.48, conceding a boundary every 4.59 balls.

Cause for significant improvement.

On a given day, Pakistan can certainly beat any side stronger than them on paper. However, their unpredictability prevents them from being a consistent side in international cricket. These are the three areas that I feel they need to work on to become a bit more consistent from now onwards. Their upcoming series against England will provide them the opportunity and I am hoping for some improvement by the men in green.

Do any others come to mind? Share your thoughts!

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today. 

WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Australia 4th T20I Key Players | St. Lucia Pitch Report

With barely a whimper, Australia lost the T20I series – a scarcely believable proposition given the position they were in in the opening T20I. Since the opening 10 overs of their batting this series, Australia have struggled, with the latest being a score of 142/5 where they simply couldn’t accelerate.

Contrast this with West Indies. The Windies have hit an astounding 30 sixes in three games, a huge 19 more than Australia’s paultry 11. Also, they will be thrilled with the return to form of Chris Gayle, as the bowlers continue to dominate the Aussie batsmen who don’t have many answers.

Now, the attention turns to keeping hopes of a series whitewash alive. The way things are going, it would take a brave person to bet otherwise.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

West Indies:

  • Welcome back, Chris Gayle. Before the last game, Gayle had struck just 102 runs in nine innings in T20Is in 2021, at an average and strike rate of just 12.75 and 92.72. The great T20 batsman then slammed a 38-ball 67, going past 14,000 T20 runs in the process in a reminder to “respect the Universe Boss”.
  • Andre Russell is enjoying a fine series. His 82 runs have come at an amazing strike rate of 215.78, which is just below his T20 career strike rate on this ground (224.66). He has also taken a couple of wickets.
  • Lendl Simmons is threatening to go big, but hasn’t quite been able to yet. He has made scores of 27, 30 and 15 in this series.
  • Hayden Walsh Jr has been all over Australia in this series. His eight wickets have cost just 8.75 apiece, with an economy rate of just 5.83. Expect him to have a say once again.
  • His spin partner, Fabian Allen, has taken three wickets and is a livewire in the field. His catching has been simply brilliant.

Australia:

  • No player has scored more runs than Mitchell Marsh this series, despite his low score last game. His 114 runs features two half-centuries and a strike rate of 134.11.
  • Aaron Finch’s form continues to be a worry for Australia, most evident in his strike rate of just 90.90. With the series now over, will that be the catalyst for Finch to tee off and play a blinder?
  • Matthew Wade has looked in promising form this series without going on to make the big score (scores of 33, 0, 23). If Australia bats first, one can be confident in Wade making a decent contribution. When batting first in T20s, he has scored 1,969 runs at 36.46 (SR 149.05). When batting second, the numbers drop significantly to 17.67 and 117.78 respectively.
  • Mitchell Starc produced his best spell of the series and most economical of his T20I career (1/15). Can he back it up with another strong effort here?
  • Riley Meredith went for over 12 an over last game, but his wicket-taking ability is telling (3/48). Josh Hazlewood still leads the wicket-taking charts for Australia this series (4), but Australia could look at bringing in another spinner.
  • Adam Zampa has been a disappointment for Australia this series. Given West Indies have struggled against wrist-spin in recent times, Zampa’s wicketless series to date is a surprise for many. Can he bounce back?

Stats and Facts

  • West Indies have won their past six T20Is vs Australia, dating back 2012.
  • West Indies have hit 30 sixes in this series to date. Australia just 11.
  • Australia have now lost their past four T20I series (England, India, New Zealand, West Indies).

Possible Playing 11

If Evin Lewis is fit, he should slot in for Andre Fletcher. Also, there are doubts over Obed McCoy’s fitness, as he bowled just the one over in the third T20I. Oshane Thomas could come in.

West Indies: 1. Lendl Simmons, 2. Andre Fletcher/Evin Lewis, 3. Chris Gayle, 4. Shimron Hetmyer, 5. Nicholas Pooran (c & wk), 6. Andre Russell, 7. Dwayne Bravo, 8. Fabian Allen, 9. Hayden Walsh Jr, 10. Obed McCoy/Oshane Thomas, 11. Sheldon Cottrell

Ashton Agar and Ben McDermott reportedly missed the last T20I due to injury, and will be monitored. Also, Australia could look to play an extra spinner.

Australia: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. Matthew Wade (wk), 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Alex Carey, 5. Moises Henrqiues, 6. Ashton Turner, 7. Dan Christian/Ashton Agar, 8. Mitchell Starc, 9. Riley Meredith, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood/Mitchell Swepson

Daren Sammy National Stadium Pitch Report and Weather

Runs are available, if you’re good enough. West Indies have handled the conditions much better than Australia have. Barring the first 10 overs of the series, Australia have barely been able to get the ball to the boundaries. West Indies will be hoping for more of the same in similar conditions, which should be fine.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Australia 4th T20I Key Players | St. Lucia Pitch Report
WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Australia 4th T20I Key Players | St. Lucia Pitch Report
WI vs AUS 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

West Indies are all over Australia at the moment, and signs point to more of the same here.

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