CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK | ELIMINATOR 1 - MATCH 17 (ECC21.089) AUSTRIA (AUT) v SPAIN (SPA) 0900 GMT | 1100 CET | 1430 IST
AUT Group Stage Timeline: W W L W L W W W NR W L (Avg Score For 121, Avg Score Against 111)
AUT Championship Week Timeline: L W W L L (Avg Score For 124, Avg Score Against 136)
SPA Group StageTimeline: LW NR W W W L W L W L (Avg Score For 119, Avg Score Against 113)
SPA Championship Week Timeline: L L L L W (Avg Score For 92, Avg Score Against 145)
AUSTRIA (AUT)
Captain: Razmal Shigiwal
Wicketkeeper: Abrar Bilal
Projected Top Order: Iqbal Hossain, Bilal Zalmai, Razmal Shigiwal, Abrar Bilal, Mirza Ahsan
Projected Opening Bowlers: Aqib Iqbal, Sahel Zadran
Spin Options: Sahel Zadran, Shahil Momin, Iqbal Hossain
Coach: Marcel Biersteker
AUSTRIA Key Players:
Razmal Shigiwal, hard hitting batter, started off Week 2 with a bang plundering 96 runs in just 28 balls including 11 HUGE maximos against Romania. Scored a valiant 78* off 31 vs BEL on Monday. Second highest scorer for Austria mustering 323 runs in 14 innings.
Iqbal Hossain, aggressive opening batter, highest scorer for AUT, hammered 366 runs in 15 innings including a blistering 64* off 29 balls vs HUN. Has bagged three player of the match awards.
Aqib Iqbal, young, energetic fast bowler, capable of swinging the ball in the air and off the deck, second highest wicket taker for AUT picking up 12 wickets with a best return of 3-4.
Shahil Momin, slow left arm orthodox, very talented, has a good cricketing brain and is a decent batsman as well. Bagged back-to-back man of the match awards for his all-round performances scoring a total of 81 runs and picking up three wickets in two games on Tuesday. Has racked up a total of 154 runs in 10 innings and picked up NINE wickets.
Bilal Zalmai, the hard hitting opening batter has been included in the Austria side for the Championship Week to boost the AUT batting. The all-rounder scored a crucial 43 off 18 balls vs Spain on Tuesday. Has racked up 113 runs in five games and has picked up three wickets so far.
SPAIN (SPA)
Captain: Christian Munoz-Mills
Wicketkeeper: Awais Ahmed
Projected Top Order: Awais Ahmed, Hamza Saleem, Jack Perman, Yasir Ali
Projected Opening Bowlers: Atif Mehmood, Adeel Raja
Spin Options: Jack Perman, Yasir Ali
Coach: Dave Gelling
SPAIN Key Players:
Kuldeep Lal, has caught the eye in ECS comps over the last two seasons for his all-round performances. Third highest wicket taker for SPA scalping 13 wickets in 15 games with a best return of 3-6. Scored an entertaining 46 off 20 balls opening the innings vs BEL to bag his first player of the match award of the tournament.
Hamza Saleem, Prodigiously talented all-rounder, who made his international debut in the recent T20 Series win over Germany. Can make things happen with the ball and is a quality left-hand bat who can clear the fence with ease. Top scorer for SPA racking up 339 runs in 15 innings including three player of the match awards, showcasing his exquisite hitting. Plundered an unbeaten 65 off 28 balls vs Sweden in the second qualifier in week one. Smashed another fifty vs AUT - 72* off 25 balls on Tuesday.
Atif Mehmood, the left arm medium pacer is the death over specialist for Spain and has been very successful throughout the tournament picking up 14 wickets in 13 games.
Jack Perman, classy top order batter, impressed with his quick run-scoring ability in the opening week, second highest scorer for SPA racking up 259 runs in 13 innings.
Hosts Spain and Austria lock horns to avoid an early exit. Spain are coming into this game on the back of a long-awaited win against Belgium and have to keep the momentum going. Austria will be surprised to find themselves in this situation, but they only have themselves to blame after losing both their games on Wednesday to finish in fifth behind Italy.
Last time they met: ECC21.081 | AUT 140(9.4) def SPA 139 (5 Oct 2021)
Match Prediction: Austria (AUT) to stay alive in the tournament with a win.
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