FANTASY
Follow UsNetherlands will definitely walk into this contest against UAE as the favourites but don’t rule out the Middle Eastern side that easily. In UAE’s first practice game of the tournament, against the West Indies, they showed more than enough glimpse of what they have to offer, excellent bowling and some patient batting.
Muhammad Waseem (69 off 52) and Junaid Siddique (5/13) showed that UAE are here to fight. Netherlands, on the other hand, have a pretty settled side since Scott Edwards has taken over as the captain.
Ground Details and Team Combination
Funnily enough, the Simonds Stadium, or formerly known as Kardinia Oval has hosted a solitary T20I – Australia vs Sri Lanka – way back in 2017. It is one of those venues, which hasn’t been used as much in the Big Bash League, which will make it slightly tricky to assess for both the sides. In fact, over the last two years, only three matches have been played at the venue.
It is one of the tackier surfaces in Australia but given that it is a drop-in pitch, your guess is as good as mine. Across 18 innings, the average first innings total at the venue is 158, with teams needing more than 170 runs to win the game, having batted first.
Like any other Australia venue, pacers tend to get more purchase from the surface, with 70 wickets @21.1 in comparison to 24 wickets @35.3. So, pick your side with a bunch of pacers.
Suggested teams
While you could go for the above team, you can also choose your team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Then, based on your preferences, the platform will guide you through creating the ideal fantasy XI.
Captaincy Suggestions
For small leagues: Bas de Leede (c), CP Rizwan (vc)
For grand leagues: Zawar Farid (c), Tom Cooper (vc)
Stats that Matter
- Since the start of 2022, Bas de Leede has taken a massive leap in international cricket. The all-rounder has scored the most runs for the Dutch side, with 289 runs, averaging a healthy 72.25, with three 50+ scores in the year. Not just that, his highest score – 91* - also came this year for the Dutch side, making him a valuable player.
- For UAE, it has been their opener – Waseem Muhammad – who has scored 503 runs just this year, at a threatening strike-rate of 156.2. If UAE are to get off to a flyer, expect the showstopper at the top of the order to go blazing.
- From the bowling department, Logan van Beek has been nothing short of a menance to the opposition, with 13 wickets, at a stunning average of 11.84. His experience over the world, combined with the vulnerability that UAE can show at moments, could prove to be a deadly combination.
- 70 wickets at the venue have been picked by pacers, at an average of 21.1, indicating how the venue has behaved since the inception. So, picking a bunch of pacers in your lineup could be the way to go.
Grand League Punts
- Zawar Farid is relatively newer in the UAE setup but his numbers, are more than tempting to make him the captain of your grand league. Across 14 appearances, Farid has a batting strike-rate of 133 and a bowling strike-rate of 28, assuring you of points. In fact, in his last appearance, the right-hander scored a quick-fire 29 off just 14 balls.
- Tom Cooper is a veteran, he has seen more cricket than most of us, having played 164 T20s in his career. But what makes him a great option in your grand league is his explosiveness. In 25 T20Is, the right-hander has a batting average of 27.60 combined with a fearsome strike-rate of 135.96.
Here are the Top 10 Criclytics Projections
Probable XIs
Netherlands - Max O’Dowd, Stephan Myburgh/Vikramjit Singh, Tom Cooper, Bas de Leede, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Teja Nidamanuru, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Fred Klaassen, Paul van Meekeren, Timm van der Gugten/Brandon Glover.
UAE - Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind (wk), CP Rizwan (c), Aryan Lakra, Basil Hameed, Ahmed Raza/Sultan Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Sabir Ali Kashif Daud, Junaid Siddique.
