FANTASY
Follow UsOn day two of the CPL 2020, the second match of a double-header is between Guyana Amazon Warriors and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. The Warriors have a liking towards the Patriots in the CPL. In the last five matches between the two sides, Guyana have won four and all of those have come while chasing. Their overall record in CPL against the Patriots is also fabulous.
HEAD TO HEAD IN CPL
Overall: Matches – 10 | GAW – 8 Wins | SKNP – 2 Wins
Last 5 matches: GAW – 4 Win | SKNP – 1 Win
SUGGESTED TEAM
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 come up with six different team that could fetch crucial points.
GROUND DETAILS
Since 2017 in CPL, Brian Lara Stadium has hosted 8 matches in which teams batting 1st and bowling 1st have won 4 matches apiece.
It has been one of the better bowling venues around the Caribbean in the recent past. Bowlers have managed a wicket every 17.1 balls here in CPL matches since 2017 with batsmen averaging only 22.2 runs/wicket.
A bowling heavy set-up should be the way to go for matches played at this venue.
*All numbers are before the opening day fixtures between TKR-GAW & BT-SKNP
TEAM COMBINATION
While pacers have been slightly better at this venue in terms of bowling strike rate and wickets taken since 2017, spinners haven’t been too shabby either.
In 16 innings at Brian Lara Stadium since 2017, pacers have returned 58 wickets striking every 17.9 balls whereas the spinners have picked up 43 wickets striking every 19.2 deliveries.
*All numbers are before the opening day fixtures between TKR-GAW & BT-SKNP
There is an abundance of left-handed batsmen in both sides, but there is only one reputed offspinner from either side. With a natural advantage to the offies at this venue, the lone offie, Chris Green is a certainty in the fantasy team.
Chris Lynn has a decent record against both the spinners of Guyana in T20s, which is why he is prioritized over Evin Lewis. Guyana opener Brandon King with Ross Taylor and Ben Dunk would be the other preferable choice of batsmen.
As for the wicketkeeper, Pooran comes out on top of every other wicketkeeper-batsmen in CPL, so he is one of the obvious choices.
The left-arm seam bowling allrounder is the other option alongside Chris Green who can be a handful against left-handed batsmen.
Imran Tahir and Sheldon Cottrell will be the evident picks as bowlers, Romario Shepherd and Rayad Emrit to act as their deputies.
INTERESTING MATCH-UPS
CHRIS LYNN vs CHRIS GREEN
Lynn wins the tussle between the two Australians and that too with flying colors. In the 5 innings Lynn has played against Green, he has scored runs at a strike rate of 212 without being dismissed.
CHRIS LYNN vs IMRAN TAHIR
The dashing top-order bat has always struggled against spin, but in this case against one of the best white-ball spinners he has a good record in T20s. In 3 innings he has scored runs at a strike rate of 154.
NICHOLAS POORAN vs SOHAIL TANVIR
In a mouth-watering competition between a young star and wily old fox, the experienced Tanvir gains a huge upper hand. Pooran in 7 innings has got out to Tanvir on 4 occasions averaging just 7.0 against the bowler in T20s
SUGGESTED CAPTAIN
CHRIS LYNN: Considering Lynn’s record against the top bowlers of Guyana, he is one of the top choices as captain. Since 2019 in T20s, he has scored close to 1400 runs at a strike rate of 146.3, none of the Patriots batsmen have scored more than him in this time frame. The fascinating part about his batting is he has been able to score runs against spin at will.
X-FACTORS
IMRAN TAHIR: The leggie has been a tormentor to all class of batsmen in T20s. Since 2018, his 148 wickets are the second-most by a bowler. His average run/wicket of 17.1 is the best among bowlers who have bagged 75 or more wickets in this period.
His record against the Patriots is also an impressive one. In three innings he has 7 wickets at an average of 10.1 and balls/dismissal ratio of 10.3 against them in CPL. There is no doubt that he is one of the X-factors.
RAYAD EMRIT: One of the old stalwarts of CPL has a decent record against the Guyana Warriors. In 7 innings against them, he has 7 wickets at an economy of 6.8 and a balls/dismissal ratio of 19.6. His experience is a crucial factor to keep him in the fantasy team.
BRANDON KING: The young prospect is definitely one of the X-factors in the team, especially when he started to open the innings in CPL. Prior to the 2019 CPL season, he was struggling to score runs and his average of 22.3 in 14 innings is a proof of it. Since 2019, when he started to open the innings he has scored at an average of 55.1 and a strike rate of 149 in 12 innings. He was the highest run-scorer in 2019 CPL with 496 runs, all of those came as an opener.
