FANTASY
Follow UsDefending champions West Indies will start their T20 World Cup campaign against England in Dubai on Saturday (October 23). Both teams have some ferocious power-hitters and are top contenders to lift the title. In the T20 variant, West Indies have been crowned champions twice in the last three editions. It is their bread and butter format. Meanwhile, England walk into this tournament as the No.1 ranked team in the shortest format.
(All stats till October 21, 2021)
SUGGESTED TEAMS
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your own team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre Based on algorithms, we have come up with one team
GROUND DETAILS AND TEAM COMBINATIONS
The Dubai International Cricket Stadium hosted 13 games during the second half of the Indian Premier League 2021 and the batters here scored runs at an average of 26.2 and at a scoring rate of 7.9, while a wicket fell every 19.9 deliveries. The venue is yet to host a 2021 T20 World Cup game but the surface here will slightly be in favour of the batters.
Amongst all the three venues used in the second half of IPL 2021, spinners had the worst average and strike rate in Dubai. So, it would be ideal to have more seamers in your team but you could also keep someone like Adil Rashid who is a world-class legspinner. West Indies also have quite a few left-handers, so all-rounder Moeen Ali too could prove to be a decent pick. The Men in Maroon too have a couple of decent spinners in their squad.
CAPTAIN
It’s difficult to look Past Jos Buttler while picking your captain. The wicketkeeper-batter has slammed 611 runs in his last 16 T20Is at a stunning average of 50.92 and a strike rate of 143.4. The 31-year-old even slammed 73 off 51 deliveries against New Zealand in the second warm-up. If needed, he could also get you some crucial points from behind the stumps.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Buttler could score 24-36 runs in this match.
X-FACTORS
If used smartly, Moeen Ali could prove to be one of the most impactful players for England. The allrounder was phenomenal for Chennai Super Kings in the recently concluded IPL 2021, scoring 357 runs at a strike rate of 137.30. West Indies will have three to four left-handers in their top-seven and Moeen could trouble them with his offspin.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Moeen could score 20-30 runs and pick up 0-1 wicket in this match.
Evin Lewis is West Indies' most in-form batter. The left-handed opener has smashed 1297 runs at an average of 35.05 and at a strike rate of 154.6 since 2020. The 29-year-old was second highest run-getter in the last edition of Caribbean Premier League and even did well for Rajasthan Royals in the UAE leg of IPL 2021. In the only T20I Lewis has played against England, he scored a stunning half-century.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Lewis could score 22-34 runs in this match.
Obed McCoy averages 14.7 for 18 wickets in 10 T20Is this year. His economy, despite bowling in the Powerplay and at the death is only 7.1. McCoy can bowl in 140s but his most lethal variation is the back of the hand slower ball which he delivers with the pin-point accuracy of a yorker. He troubled both Australia and South Africa in the home summer and will be a vital asset in West Indies’ attack.
Our Criclytics player projections predicts, McCoy could pick up 2-3 wickets in this match.