We have opted for a fantasy cricket team based on the recent performances, overall impact, and credit points.
Probable XIs
England: Jos Buttler (c & wk), Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Kane Williamson (c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Pitch Report
Venue: Gabba, Brisbane
(Based on the last 3 games)
1st innings average score: 148
2nd innings average score: 137
Wickets per innings: 7
Type: Bouncy wicket. Hardly any turn available for spinners
Weather: Showers forecast.
Wins
Batting 1st: 67%
Batting 2nd: 33%
Fantasy Tips of the Day
In the last three T20Is at Brisbane, 5 fifties have been registered and 17 sixes launched.
Three seamers have taken 3 or more wickets in an innings.
Smart Picks
Mitchell Santner’s numbers for the game are exciting. In the tournament, he has collected 63.5 points with the help of 5 wickets in mere 2 games, and against England, he has scalped as many as 16 wickets in 10 games. There may not be enough turn for him at the Gabba, but his accuracy and the extra bounce will keep him in the hunt.
In 7 T20Is against New Zealand, Dawid Malan has hammered 361 runs at an average of 60 and a strike rate of 155, including a hundred and 3 fifties.
Given how the batters have had to put extra efforts to score runs, Kane Williamson’s safe approach will come handy at the venue. In addition, he has maintained good stats versus England: 215 runs at an average of 36.
After the consecutive failures, Alex Hales’ selection percentage has dropped below 60%. However, his numbers (262 runs at a strike rate of 147) against New Zealandare encouraging.
Fin Allen isn’t going to change his approach whatsoever. In a star-studded game, fantasy players are likely to ignore him, but his form of late has been remarkable. He has only one single digit-score since the tri-series at home, overall hitting 178 runs in 7 games.
Whether to go for Devon Conway or Sam Curran as a captain will remain a conundrum. While Conway was a part of the Ultimate Team in one of two games, Curran featured in both games. Given the conditions, Curran’s all-round skills keep him ahead in the race.
Ben Stokes’ form with the bat has dried up, but the pitches here favour his bowling. His bowling figures read 2 for 19 and 1 for 8.
