FANTASY
Follow UsAustralia will be tasked to level the T20I series against New Zealand after a 53-run drubbing in the first T20I in Christchurch. The two teams are now in Dunedin for the second game of the five-match series. This will be the first T20I to be played at Dunedin’s University Oval.
Australia can draw motivation from their dominating record against the Kiwis. They have a 70 percent win record against New Zealand. There is not much to look into the recent past as the Christchurch game was the first T20I between the two sides since 2018.
T20I HEAD-TO-HEAD
Overall: 10 Matches | Australia 7 Wins | New Zealand – 3 Wins
Last 5 Matches: Australia – 2 Wins | New Zealand – 3 Wins
Ground Details and Team Combination
As stated above, it will be a big day for Dunedin’s University Oval with the venue set to host its first T20I game. It has been a good place for batsmen where runs have come at come at a decent run-rate. Since 2019, the average run-rate here has been 9.2 runs per over, making it one of the five venues in New Zealand to have a run-rate in excess of nine. The venue also has the lowest wickets-per-innings ratio - less than five wickets per innings. Hence, a batting heavy side won’t be a bad idea for this game.
Spinners have fetched only 1.6 wickets per innings in comparison to the pacer’s 2.7 per innings. Therefore, your bowling attack should comprise of pacers who bowl death overs.
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 teams that could fetch crucial points.
Captain Selection
It is tough to look past Devon Conway for the captaincy role of your Fantasy XI. Selected to represent New Zealand at the age of 28, Conway seems to be keen on making up for the lost time. He averages 502 from his last five T20 innings with scores of 99*, 93*, 91*, 69* and 50, the last four innings coming for Wellington in the Super Smash. At the international level, his 273 runs in T20I cricket have come at an average of 91 and a strike-rate of approximately 157. He has already show he can take it up to the Aussies and we expect him to shine again given his imperious form.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Conway could score 20-43 runs in this match
X-Factors
It wasn’t a good day for the Australian bowlers in Christchurch except the young Jhye Richardson who picked two wickets for 31 runs. He has been in hot form coming from an impressive BBL season where he was the highest wicket-taker. He is one of those complete bowlers who can swing the new ball at pace and also bowl yorkers during the death overs. Dunedin has not seen many wickets but Richardson can change that.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Richardson could pick up 1-2 wickets in this match
It is not often that you see Matthew Wade miss out in this format of the game. He has averaged over 35 in T20s for three years in a row - 2018, 2019 and 2020. Wade is someone who infuses Australia with the required intent for the shortest format of the game right at the top. At a batting friendly venue, Australia will look at him to do what he did in the last two T20Is against India where he piled up scored of 80 and 58.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Wade could score 14-37 runs in this match
Amongst Test playing nations, Tim Southee is the second highest wicket-taker in T20Is since 2019 - 21 wickets in 22 game at an economy of 7.9 runs per over. In 10 T20Is since 2020, he has been wicketless only twice. Wickets have almost become a guarantee with New Zealand’s vice-captain in T20Is and he will be a good bet to be the vice-captain of your Fantasy XI as well.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Southee could pick up 1-2 wickets in this match
