We have opted for a fantasy cricket team based on the recent performances, overall impact, and credit points.
Pitch Report for India vs Hong Kong, Asia Cup 2022
First innings average score: 126
Second innings average: 127
Type: Good bounce. Initial help for seamers. Both games were won by chasing.
Time: August 31, 7.30 PM IST
Probable Playing XIs for India & Hong Kong
Probable XI for India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh
Probable XI for Hong Kong: Yasim Murtaza, Nizakat Khan (c), Babar Hayat, Kinchit Shah, Aizaz Khan, Scott McKechnie (wk), Zeeshan Ali, Haroon Arshad, Ehsan Khan, Mohammad Ghazanfar, Ayush Shukla
Game Changers
The three-dimensional cricketer in Ravindra Jadeja is a rare breed. Be it with the bat, ball, or sheer brilliance in the field, he is likely to generate fantasy points in a heap. Besides chipping in with a couple of overs, he also got 35 off 29 at the No.4 slot against Pakistan.
Smart Fantasy Picks
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s disciplined bowling (4 for 26) was solely responsible for destroying Pakistan’s batting. Don’t be surprised if the inexperienced Hong Kong batters fall prey to him with the new ball. He is India’s highest wicket-taker (20) in 2022.
Growing fast into a matured and reliable seamer is Arshdeep Singh. In only 7 T20Is, he has 11 wickets to his credit, including the best figures of 3 for 12. There are few better than him at the death.
In the Asia Cup qualifier, Yasim Murtaza accumulated 130 runs at 43, including the highest score of 58. With the ball, he picked 3 wickets. Talk about making an all-round impact.
After surviving the initial phase, Virat Kohli started to time the ball a little better. While he may be far from his best, he will draw confidence from his 34-ball 35 (3 fours and a six) against Pakistan.
Before his wicketless outing against Pakistan, Yuzvendra Chahal managed to take 10 wickets in his last 5 T20Is. His wily leg-spinners could easily bamboozle the Hong Kong batters.
Hong Kong will rely on the experience of skipper Nizakat Khan at the top. Amidst two single-digit scores, he has also registered scores of 81, 50, and 39 in his last 5 outings.
Going by Babar Hayat’s recent exploits (53* and 38*) in the qualifiers , fantasy players can expect some handy points, especially in the middle phase of Hong Kong’s batting. He has got a century and 4 fifties in the format.
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Fantasy Power Picks
Hardik Pandya seems to be in a dream phase with both bat and ball. After single-handedly destroying Pakistan (3 for 25 and 38*), one wonders what the talented all-rounder will bring to the table against Hong Kong.
KL Rahul might have been dismissed for a duck in the opening match, but don’t be fooled by his rare failure. Before the Pakistan encounter, he had slammed 4 half-centuries in 5 T20Is, out of which 2 came at Dubai.
Ehsan Khan finished the qualifier as the highest wicket-taker (9), including a four-wicket haul in the final game against UAE. In his last 10 T20Is, he has taken 20 wickets.
Fantasy Tip of The Day
Regardless of what happens at the toss, the Indian bowlers appear in a premier position to help your fantasy teams. Before picking players from Hong Kong, a quick glance through the charts from the qualifiers could help.