We have opted for a fantasy cricket team based on the recent performances, overall impact, and credit points.
Pitch Report
(Based on the last 2 games)
1st innings average score: 157
2nd innings average score: 155
Type: Good batting wicket.
Time: October 22, 4.30 AM IST
Teams
Probable XI for England: Alex Hales, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Dawid Malan, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, David Willey, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid
Probable XI for Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fareed Malik, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq
Form Concerns
Najibullah Zadran’s lean run with the bat will worry Afghanistan. His recent scores in competitive T20s read 6, 5, 6, 2, and 0.
Mohammad Nabi will need to raise his game after a disappointing Asia Cup. He could add only 16 with the bat. With the ball, he grabbed only 3 wickets.
Game Changers
Rashid Khan has picked 6 wickets in his last 5 T20Is. When he last bowled against England, he finished with figures of 2 for 17.
Sam Curran is an asset in fantasy leagues. In the recently concluded three-match T20Is against Australia, he took 6 wickets with the ball. In the final game, his breezy knock of 33 off 14 balls also helped England gun down the hosts.
Smart Picks
In the 2022 Asia Cup, Ibrahim Zadran displayed great composure and maturity in collecting 181 runs in 4 innings. He also registered scores of 46 and 35 in the warm-up games.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman has regularly been amongst the wickets, especially in the powerplay. He has taken 13 wickets, including the best figures of 3 for 16 in his last 10 T20Is.
Power Players
When Jos Buttler and Alex Hales last batted at Perth a few weeks ago, they stitched an opening partnership of 132 off only 68 balls. Together, they blasted 27 boundaries to finish with scores of 68 and 84 respectively.
Lately, Mark Wood has been keeping fantasy players extremely pleased by bagging consecutive three-wicket hauls in T20Is.
Since the end of the Pakistan tour, Dawid Malan has accumulated 211 runs in 5 T20Is at a staggering average of 70, including two half-centuries.
Fantasy Tip Of The Day
Given the inexperience of the Afghanistan seamers, England’s aggressive openers could go all guns blazing. Their pacers have also been equally impressive.