Northamptonshire’s county cricket Bob Willis Trophy match first match started with a bit of a jerk when a player tested positive for Covid-19 during the match. After reaching 66 for 6 when lunch was taken by both the teams, the players the match got called off.
“Although the player was not part of the group that traveled with the squad to Bristol (and has been self-isolating at home), further members of the Northamptonshire squad have been in contact with the player within 48 hours of the player developing Covid-19 symptoms,” the clubs said in a joint statement.
In the recent past, county cricket has already seen two players miss matches due to enforced self-isolation. Prior to this, Nick Gubbins has missed Middlesex’s game against Kent, “On the advice of the team doctor, he will self-isolate and monitor for any symptoms over the next few days,” the statement added.
County cricket resumed this August as the pandemic took over the world. A lot of precautions were taken such as regular temperature checks, traveling for the games on their own, and signing up to a code of behavior both at venues and when off duty.
Reportedly, Jordan Cox missed the fixture as he broke the social distancing protocol as he agreed to give a photo to young fans after hitting a double century against Sussex.
Post call off, the players were not asked to stay in their respective bio-secure bubble of the county cricket rather follow to adhere range of protocols to reduce the risk of transmission.
CPL 2020 Semi Final 2: GAW vs SLZ Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report| GUY vs SLZ Dream11 Prediction Today | Guyana Amazon Warriors vs St. Lucia Zouks Key Players | Tarouba Pitch Report
One of the big questions around CPL 2020 now is whether Guyana Amazon Warriors can finally break their CPL duck. Runners up an incredible five times, Guyana have suffered their fair share of heartbreak over the years, most notably in 2019, where they won 11 straight games only to lose the Final.
Now, they look to have timed their run a little better, hitting form at the backend of the season. They enter the Semi Finals on the back of four straight wins, with their bowlers in particular leading the way. But, there is absolutely no room for complacency or error in a knockout game, especially when mental scars may still exist from previous campaigns.
So, can St. Lucia Zouks reopen the Guyana wounds? The Zouks have generally punched above their weight in CPL 2020, sitting second for most of the campaign until a bit of an inconsistent finish to the league stage. However, six wins and four losses shows that they are more than capable of delivering when it matters, led by their all-rounders and bowling attack. Can they get it right where it really counts?
Shimron Hetmyer endured a poor run of form through the middle of the campaign. However, the exciting southpaw is coming off scores of 56* and 32*, with the former coming in his last meeting vs Zouks.
Nicholas Pooran has what it takes to overcome the Zouks’ battery of off-spinners. He average 37.33 and strikes at 123.89 vs off-spin.
Mohammad Nabi has been a key man for the Zouks in CPL 2020. The all-rounder has taken 11 wickets in 10 games, and will be crucial against GAW’s left-handed players.
So too will Roston Chase. He is coming off 32* vs the Tallawahs, and can also deliver quality overs when needed. Also, Chase was man of the match in Zouks’ first game against Warriors in CPL 2020, scoring 66 (51).
Andre Fletcher has the second-most runs in GAW-SLZ matches (287).
Imran Tahir is as consistent as ever. He finished the league stage with the equal-most wickets (15). This includes figures of 3/22 and 1/10 vs Zouks this season.
Scott Kuggeleijn has been one of the unsung heroes of the Zouks’ campaign. He took the second-most wickets in the league stage (14), including 3/24 and 1/17 vs Warriors.
Kesrick Williams finished close behind with 13 wickets. The medium pacer is a prolific T20 performer, with 129 wickets in 97 T20 matches.
Naveen-ul-Haq is one of the form bowlers of the competition. He has taken eight wickets in his last six T20s, including 2/24 vs Zouks.
Keemo Paul’s last game was against Zouks, where he took 2/25.
CPL 2020 Semi Final 2 Preview Dream11: Nabi to deliver?
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 15, Guyana 10, St. Lucia 5.
Zouks beat Warriors by 10 runs in the first meeting between the sides in CPL 2020. In the second, Warriors won by 7 wickets.
Andre Fletcher has taken 12 catches behind the stumps this year – the most wicketkeeping dismissals in CPL 2020.
Brandon King scored just 116 runs in 10 matches. This is in stark contrast to CPL 2019, where he plundered 496 runs at an average above 55. Can he come good in the knockouts?
Possible Playing 11
Guyana Amazon Warriors: 1. Brandon King, 2. Chandrapaul Hemraj, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5. Ross Taylor, 6. Keemo Paul, 7. Romario Shepherd, 8. Ashmead Nedd/Kevin Sinclair, 9. Chris Green (c), 10. Naveen-ul-Haq, 11. Imran Tahir
St. Lucia Zouks: 1. Rahkeem Cornwall, 2. Mark Deyal, 3. Andre Fletcher (wk), 4. Roston Chase, 5. Mohammad Nabi, 6. Najibullah Zadran, 7. Javelle Glen, 8. Daren Sammy (c), 9. Scott Kuggeleijn, 10. Kesrick Williams, 11. Zahir Khan
Tarouba Pitch Report and Conditions
Some showers are forecast in Trinidad, so the captain who wins the toss could look to chase. The game will be played on the same track as the TKR vs JT game earlier, so it is likely to be on the slower side and assist spin.
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Match Prediction
An interesting match awaits in a pressure situation. Guyana have the talent, but St. Lucia have plenty of fight about them. This game has the makings for a close battle, but Guyana, on the back of great form, look good for a win. Ultimately, though, it might very well depend on who chases under lights with a chance of rain.
The Pakistan cricket team became the second country after West Indies to tour England amid the pandemic. After staying in the country for two months and being a part of the bio-secure bubble created by ECB, the team has returned home. While talking to media over a video conference, Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq expressed his views on losses in form for several players who had helped Pakistan reach the world number 1 rank in T20Is.
The speculation started coming in as Pakistan slipped from number 1 rank to number four after Misbah joined the camp as head coach last September. In one year they have not just lost the top spot, but have also not seen any silver lining in their Test cricket as they remain rooted to number seven in the ICC rankings. However, the management promoted Misbah as chief selector, giving him two major roles.
“Pakistan was No.1 but if you recall the time I took over they were already on a losing streak. They lost in South Africa and one T20I against England. So they had already started to go down a bit and we all have an idea why was it. That was because some of our players were out of form collectively – Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali – those who were main contributors. So there was a sudden dip, but we are trying to take them to the same place. With the recent series [in England], it’s evident that the team is in the making, and going forward you will see better performances”, said the head coach.
In their last tour, Pakistan managed to score only one victory in the T20 matches. Irrespective of having the possibility to score high the team couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities on the field, which lead to losing the Test series with 1-0 and settling for a draw in the T20 series (1-1). “The sort of cricket we are playing right now is exactly what we are looking at, especially in T20 cricket there were questions about not having enough firepower and not matching the level of cricket being played in the world. But scoring 190 plus twice against England in English conditions is a sign that we are heading in the right direction”, he said.
England’s Left-Handed Batsman Dawid Malan smashed it hard in the T20 match against Australia by scoring 42 from just 32 balls in the second T20 in Southampton. The 87-run partnership with Jos Buttler led to a convincing win on Sunday. The 33-year-old is riding high on an average of more than 50 after 15 T20 internationals. While interacting with the media, the player said that he wants to secure a place in the team by the sheer weight of his numbers.
Both the teams having an enviable batting depth are fighting to secure the top rank in T20 cricket and Malan acknowledges this fierce competition to secure a place. While addressing the international comparisons with the Indian captain, Malan said, “I don’t think I’m anywhere near as good as Virat Kohli and those guys even though the numbers are sort of suggesting that, maybe if I played 50 games I could be compared to some extent. But all I can do is score runs. If I keep scoring runs at the rate I’m scoring at hopefully it will make it hard for them to ignore what I’m doing and I can somehow find a way into that starting XI.”
Aiming for the T20 World Cup which is scheduled to be held in India, Malan is only relying on his batting to get an entry in the starting XI. “If I keep scoring runs at the rate I’m scoring at hopefully it will make it hard for them to ignore what I’m doing and I can somehow find a way into that starting XI. They look to plan, so you play in conditions and with game plans that will potentially suit the T20 World Cup in India, which is why I think we are playing on used wickets here,” he said.
England will look to seal the T20I series 3-0 against Australia, ahead of the ODIs.
The South African cricket team showed their disconnect with the governing body and the South African Cricketers’ Association calling out their leadership qualities. The national team of men’s and women’s players issued a joint statement through the South African Cricketers’ Association calling on CSA for their governorship. While talking to EspnCricinfo, Tabraiz Shamsi said that there is a big distinction between the Proteas team itself and CSA as a whole.
Lately, the SACA has come under the limelight for all the wrong reasons one of which is out and out racism. However, the left-arm chinaman assures that the mood has changed in the camp. “In the Proteas environment, I have never experienced any racism. Past players have spoken about things where stuff was not equal and even the players that did make it had to go through some sort of hurdles that they shouldn’t have experienced if there was a level playing field. That’s the biggest thing we need to acknowledge and understand and ensure that kind of stuff is taken away from the system, that kind of stuff won’t be tolerated and it’s not okay. But, as a whole, I’ve never experienced something like that from the players. Where we sit, we are stronger than we were before this camp, because we have had those chats, and I see it as a big positive. We’ve sat down and we’ve come up with the way forward. We are in a good space”, he said in the interaction.
“We know there’s a bit of turmoil in the administrative side of things and those are things that we cannot control. Those are things that are not for us to worry about because our job is to play cricket for the nation and win games and win trophies for the country”, he added.
The 30-year-old who has taken 49 wickets in just 46 matches until now emphasized that the team has now reached a place of greater understanding and contextualized each others’ background to develop a better communication among the teammates. “We realized there is a lot of strength in being able to communicate rather than assuming. Once we understand things from the other person’s perspective, things become a lot clearer and a lot easier to understand where people are coming from – where their hurt is coming from and where their happiness is coming from”, says Shamsi.
Through the South African team has not released any kind of statement disclosing their fixtures for the national team or international squad, Shamsi says the squad will be ready when the time comes to play.
ENG vs AUS 3rd T20I Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs AUS 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Australia 3rd T20I Key Players | Southampton Pitch Report
And just like that, England’s white-ball dominance over the old enemy in recent years continues.
With 12 wins in their last 14 white-ball internationals against Australia, England have the measure of their opponents. After their great escape in the opening T20I, England were clinical in the second, as a great powerplay with the ball and Jos Buttler’s superb 77* saw them home. England’s star keeper-batsman won’t be available for this clash (details here), so England’s top order will have to deliver the goods without him.
All is not lost for Australia, though. A win in this game means they keep their number one ranking, which adds to the already-present incentive of avoiding a clean sweep against their greatest rivals. Their performance has largely been disappointing, particularly at the backend of both games, where poise was the need of the hour. After an almighty collapse in the first T20I, along with deciding to bowl Adam Zampa in the penultimate over in the second match, it is clear Australia need to improve their decision making in the final stages.
Aaron Finch has looked Australia’s best batsman in this series. He has hit the 40’s twice before getting out, and will be motivated to carry on with his start.
Finch’s love for Southampton is clear to see: 3 matches, 242 runs, avg. 80.66, SR 189.66. He also has the most runs in England-Australia T20Is: 511 runs, avg. 63.87, SR 176.81.
Eyes will be on David Warner and Jonny Bairstow. Warner, despite the first-game half-century, still averages less than 20 vs England in T20Is (11 games). Bairstow has endured a quiet run of form, scoring just 17 runs in his last three T20Is.
Dawid Malan is quickly becoming an integral part of England’s T20I setup. He is averaging 50.84 in 15 T20Is, with a strike rate of 147.87. This includes eight 50+ scores.
Can Glenn Maxwell deliver a big performance? He threatened to go big last game (26 off 18 balls).
Steve Smith has had a slow start to the tour. He has looked good, though, only to get himself out in double figures twice. He has plenty to offer – he struck at 152.05 in T20Is in 2019, and is going at 145.05 in 2020.
Tom Banton is likely to open in the absence of Jos Buttler. Banton recently finished as top scorer in the England-Pakistan series, where he opened the batting (137 runs in three T20Is).
Ashton Agar has four wickets this series (2/32 and 2/27). He is enjoying an excellent 2020, with 12 wickets in five T20Is to date.
Jofra Archer’s pace was well up in the second T20I, and it was a sight to behold. He has three wickets for the series, and will be key again both up front and at the death.
Can Mitchell Starc hit top form? His only wicket so far this series has been hit wicket. Also, Pat Cummins, with 12 wickets in his last 10 T20Is, is crucial.
Chris Jordan will also be key for England at the death, and is a livewire in the field. He has eight wickets in six T20Is vs Australia, and is only two behind Stuart Broad (65) as England’s all-time T20I wicket-taker.
ENG vs AUS 3rd T20I Preview Dream11: Can Finch and Warner dominate and lead Australia to a win?
Stats and Facts
England will replace Australia as the number one T20I team if they win this match.
Eoin Morgan is now England’s second-highest run-scorer in T20Is vs Australia (259 runs, avg. 21.58). If he plays, he has the chance to overtake Jos Buttler, who now leads with 321 runs.
Australia have won just one of their past 11 white-ball internationals against England in England.
Possible Playing 11
Eoin Morgan dislocated his finger in the second T20I, so it remains to be seen if he plays. If he misses out, Moeen Ali will then skipper the side and one of Sam Curran or Joe Denly could play. Also, Jos Buttler is out (details here), which means Tom Banton is likely to open, bringing Sam Billings into the middle order.
England: 1. Tom Banton, 2. Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3. Dawid Malan, 4. Sam Billings, 5. Moeen Ali (c), 6. Sam Curran/Joe Denly, 7. Tom Curran, 8. Chris Jordan, 9. Adil Rashid, 10. Jofra Archer, 11. Mark Wood
Australia have some decisions to make. Do the likes of Riley Meredith and Josh Philippe get a chance? What about Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Wade? Given that Marcus Stoinis has been in the runs this series, he could get another go. Also, eyes will be on Alex Carey (if picked), who struggles vs pace in T20Is.
Australia: 1. David Warner, 2. Aaron Finch (c), 3. Steve Smith, 4. Glenn Maxwell, 5. Marcus Stoinis, 6. Alex Carey (wk), 7. Ashton Agar, 8. Pat Cummins, 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Kane Richardson/Josh Hazlewood, 11. Adam Zampa
Southampton Pitch and Weather Report
The same pitch will be used again in the third T20I. After movement and bounce in the early stages of the second match, the pitch then slowed down and had turn for the spinners. So, expect the spinners to have a say, particularly in the middle overs.
The weather forecast for this day/night match is dry and cool.
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Match Prediction
England have Australia’s measure, but the absence of Jos Buttler (and potentially Eoin Morgan) boosts Australia’s chances. Expect another closely-fought affair, with Australia’s poise at the backend of the game to prove key. England are the favourites, though, and will back themselves to continue the good form.
CPL 2020 Semi Final 1: TKR vs JT Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | TKR vs JAM Dream11 Prediction Today | Trinbago Knight Riders vs Jamaica Tallawahs Key Players | Tarouba Pitch Report
CPL 2020, a unique T20 tournament in the “new normal” that is the COVID-world, reaches its business end. No crowds, slow pitches and lower totals than usual have forced teams to dig deep to play their best cricket.
No side has done that better than Trinbago Knight Riders. In fact, no one has even come close. Led by the superb Kieron Pollard, the Knight Riders have beaten every side with ease enroute to a perfect 10 wins, achieving this feat with niggles and injuries to their key players along the way. So, the big question for TKR is – can they transfer that devastating form over to the knockouts, where one bad day could mean tournament over?
On the other hand, Jamaica Tallawahs have been striken by inconsistency throughout their campaign. They have won just three of their 10 games, raising questions over whether a top four in a six-team league rewards mediocrity. However, the Tallawahs now have the chance to put their poor form behind them (four losses in their last five completed matches) and step up in the matches that matter most.
Sunil Narine has reportedly recovered from kidney stones, and is set to slot back in the TKR XI. He has played just four games, but has had an impact in all four: 50 (28), 53 (38), 8 (16), and 29 (11), along with five wickets (econ. 4.87).
Glenn Phillips has a key role to play if Tallawahs are to win. He topped the CPL 2020 run-scoring chart in the league stage, striking 314 runs at an average of 39.25 and SR 127.64. No other player reached 300 runs.
Phillips vs TKR in CPL 2020: 58 (42) and 41 (31).
Andre Russell has the most runs and wickets of any player in TKR-JT matches. He has 565 runs at an average of 56.50 and SR 191.53 (including two centuries), as well as 20 wickets. Also, Russell has scored three fifties in his last five knocks in CPL 2020.
Darren Bravo has the third-most runs in CPL 2020 (239, avg. 47.80). Also, he has a solid overall record vs Jamaica: 340 runs, avg. 30.91.
Jermaine Blackwood has shown promising form in CPL 2020: 23, 28, 27, 12, 74 and 25. Can he make a key contribution when opening the batting?
Dwayne Bravo, like Russell, has 20 wickets in TKR-JT matches. Also, Bravo has seven wickets in his last five CPL 2020 matches.
Kieron Pollard has had a tournament to remember. His strike rate (204.91) is the best of any player in CPL 2020 (min. 20 runs).
Mujeeb ur Rahman has the equal-most wickets in CPL 2020 (15), coming back into form with two wickets last match. He and Sandeep Lamichhane (12 wickets) will be crucial for Jamaica.
Fawad Ahmed has burst into form. He has taken seven wickets in his last four games, including 4/21 vs St. Kitts last match.
CPL 2020 Semi Final 1: TKR vs JAM Preview Dream11 – Andre Russell to deliver?
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 18, TKR 9, JT 9.
TKR beat JT by 7 wickets and 19 runs in their two meetings in CPL 2020. Sunil Narine was man of the match in their first meeting this season (50 off 28 balls and 1/19).
TKR, like Guyana last season, did not lose a single game in the league stage (10 matches).
Possible Playing 11
Colin Munro is unlikely to feature in the Semi Final due to a fracture in his finger. Sunil Narine is reportedly likely to play after overcoming kidney stones.
It remains to be seen where Andre Russell bats, and whether he is fit enough to bowl. This could be the deciding factor in whether Oshane Thomas or Veerasammy Permaul gets the nod.
Jamaica Tallawahs: 1. Glenn Phillips (wk), 2. Jermaine Blackwood, 3. Nicholas Kirton/Nkrumah Bonner, 4. Rovman Powell (c), 5. Andre Russell, 6. Asif Ali, 7. Carlos Brathwaite, 8. Mujeeb ur Rahman, 9. Sandeep Lamichhane, 10. Fidel Edwards, 11. Veerasammy Permaul/Oshane Thomas
Tarouba Pitch and Weather Report
There is a chance of rain throughout the day in Trinidad. In terms of the surface, it has been better for batting in the second leg of the tournament in Tarouba, compared to the first. TKR have enjoyed batting on it, with three straight scores of 170+ when batting first.
Dream11 Prediction
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Match Prediction
It would be some upset if Jamaica were to win. TKR have the experience and quality to navigate tricky situations, and should have enough in their ranks to qualify for the Final.
England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler is set to miss the final T20I against Australia on Tuesday to be with his family, according to PTI. The 29-year-old left England’s bio-secure bubble on Sunday evening and will return on Thursday for the first ODI of the Royal London Series at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday, informed the statement.
Buttler or the team management has not mentioned clearly as of what lead to his sudden exit after delivering a match-winning inning of 77 runs in the second T20I against Australia. The team will be playing England’s final Vitality IT20 against Australia on Tuesday at the Ageas Bowl.
The Englishmen have emerged victorious in the three-match series by securing victories in the first couple of games. Going by the norms, Buttler had spent two months in the bio-secure bubble for the Test match series against West Indies and Pakistan before joining the team for Australia’s tour in England.
Buttler has been in sublime touch in the past few months, having performed well in the whites as well as living up to his standard in white-ball cricket. Eoin Morgan can afford to bring in Sam Billings to the playing XI, considering that England have already secured a victory in the ongoing three-match contest. On the other hand, Jonny Bairstow could be handed the gloves. However, it seems likely that the team might opt for the former alternative to fill the vacuum created at the top-order due to Buttler’s departure.
Another interesting facet that emerges through this incident is the uncertainty about the 29-year-old joining the Rajasthan Royals’ camp for the IPL. He is a vital part of Steve Smith’s unit and the franchise might be closely keeping a track of these developments as the season is about to commence within a couple of weeks.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
Shikhar Dhawan has affirmed that he has not given up on his Test career. After playing for India in 34 matches in the longest format of the game, the Delhi Captains player last turned up for the country in whites in September 2018 on the tour to England. In an interaction with a TV channel, Dhawan said, “I am not a part of the Test team but that does not mean I have given up all hopes of a comeback”.
Dhawan holds the record for the fastest Test century by a debutant in Test cricket, but he faced problems in maintaining that level of consistency thereafter. He was subsequently replaced by the likes of Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, and Rohit Sharma in the squad.
Currently, the playing XI of the Virat Kohli-led side looks settled with the duo of Sharma and Agarwal fixating their spots in the lineup. “The T20 World Cup is there next year, so I need to keep performing, keep myself fit, make runs consistently. If I keep doing these, other things will automatically fall into place”, the former Sunrisers Hyderabad player stated to the PTI.
The opener will be next seen in IPL 2020 where he represents Delhi Capitals. Shreyas Iyer is the captain of the side and the team managed to attain a third-place finish in the previous season of the league under his leadership. “Shreyas led the team pretty well last year, this time Ajinkya (Rahane) has come in, (Ravichandran) Ashwin has come in, they are quite experienced players and I am sure they are going to share their insights”, he said.
When asked about how he feels about the pandemic affecting the health of the players, Dhawan said, “I have full faith in my body and was never apprehensive about playing. I know I can still get the disease but I can fight it. But we are definitely following the safety guidelines. We have done the COVID test almost eight-nine times. We have to keep wearing a specific badge, our movements are restricted. It’s a huge thing that the BCCI is able to organize the tournament in this situation.”
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
5 players from Associate Nations who could be amazing in the IPL | Players from Associate Nations who could perform well in IPL cricket
The empire of cricket has been expanded across many countries over the years. Brilliant talents continue to emerge from various nations, which has increased the enjoyment of spectators as well as the competitiveness between teams on the field.
But, there are many talented players who are seldom noticed as they represent the Associate nations and therefore unfortunately don’t get enough opportunities at the highest level. In this article, I will name five players from Associate counties who could be great additions to any side in the IPL, if they ever get picked. Here we go:
George Munsey has been a fabulous addition to the orthodox Scottish batting line up; he has the ability of tonking every ball pitched in his arc. Debuting for Scotland in 2015, he has a decent average of almost 30 and a phenomenal SR of more than 154 with one hundred in T20Is.
Also, Munsey has the experience of playing English county cricket, having spent a considerable period of time with Northamptonshire. With age on his side, he could be picked in the IPL if he continues to impress with his destructive batting. He certainly has the ability to make his mark in the mega event.
Najibullah Zadran has been one of the mainstays of the Afghanistan batting unit for quite some years now. Being an effortless striker of the cricket ball, he has mostly been given the duty of a finisher in T20s. He has batted at 5, 6 and 7 in 37 innings out of his 51 innings in T20Is, in which he has a terrific average of almost 43 and a SR of 146 cumulatively, which signifies how good a finisher he is.
The important thing is he can bat as per the game situation. So, he can be a useful overseas addition to any side in the IPL, if he ever gets a chance.
Perhaps the best cricketer to have emerged from Ireland, Kevin O’Brien is one of the most impactful players to represent an Associate nation. His tremendous knocks in crucial stages have given Ireland some miraculous victories including that famous win against England in the 2011 World Cup.
He has proven himself in immense pressure situations time and again, and turned out to be the game-changer. Also, his dibbly-dobbly seam bowling can be useful in the slow Indian tracks. He can seriously be the X-factor for any team in the IPL. It’s unfortunate that he has not got a single opportunity in the mega event so far despite featuring in the IPL auctions.
2. Paul Stirling
5 players from Associate Nations who could be amazing in the IPL: Paul Stirling
If you watched the third ODI of the 2020 series between England and Ireland, you pretty much get an idea about the impact that Paul Stirling provides at the top. If he gets going, he can demolish any good bowling attack. He has played his part in almost all the great victories in the history of Ireland cricket.
His stats also speak for his ability to strike the ball hard. As an opener in T20Is, he has a decent average of almost 30, a SR of 140 and has been a prolific member of the Irish cricket team over the years. He surely can be the basher at the top, who can provide a perfect start to any team in the IPL, if he ever gets picked.
We all know Afghanistan has developed itself as a competitive T20 side possessing stars like Rashid Khan, Mujeeb and Nabi. But, the first centre of attraction from Afghanistan on the global stage was Mohammad Shahzad. A player belonging to “see the ball, hit the ball” category, Shahzad is definitely a treat to watch when on song.
Having a T20I century to his name, Shahzad had a great T20 World Cup 2016 in India, where he amassed 222 runs at an average of 32 and a SR of more than 140, including a blistering 44 off just 19 balls against the mighty South African team. His best quality is his fearless batting, which provides a great start to his team most of the times and eases pressure off his team mates. He has been impressive in T20 leagues across the world, but has not made his entry to the IPL yet, which is baffling. So, I wish he gets a chance in the IPL someday and impresses everyone with his destructive batting.
This is my list of five cricketers from the Associate nations who could do amazingly well in the IPL. Have your say!
Thanks for reading!
Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.
