POR Timeline: ECC DEBUT
HUN Timeline: ECC DEBUT
PORTUGAL (POR)
Captain: Najam Shahzad
Wicketkeeper: Francoise Stoman
Projected Top Order: Azhar Andani, Sharon Gomez, Amir Zaib, Anthony Chambers
Projected Opening Bowlers: Junaid Khan, Najam Shahzad
Spin Options: Md Siraj Nipo, Amandeep Singh
PORTUGAL Key Players:
Najam Shahzad, star all-rounder, dependable batsman who can anchor the innings very well, has amassed 397 runs in 22 ECN games and picked up 14 wickets.
Azhar Andani, big hitting opening batsman, has a good T20I record mustering 276 runs in four matches, including 100 off 51 balls vs Gibraltar.
Amir Zaib, another valuable all-rounder, who has impressed in the T20Is mustering 106 runs and picking up FIVE wickets in four matches. Has vast ECN experience as well and will be keen to impress on the big stage.
Md Siraj Nipo, boasts a wealth of experience playing in ECN events, a classy batsman who bowls tidy left arm off spin. Hard to get away, he will be a key bowler for Portugal. Has scored 208 runs and picked up 33 wickets in 31 ECN matches.
Junaid Khan, very good with the bat and equally sharp with the ball, the left arm quick has bagged SEVEN wickets in four T20Is. Has mustered 388 runs in 18 ECN games and picked up 17 wickets as well.
HUNGARY (HUN)
Captain: Marc Ahuja
Wicketkeeper: Satyadeep Aswathnarayan
Projected Top Order: Zeeshan Kukikhel, Harsh Mandhyan, Marc Ahuja, Zahir Safi Mohammed
Projected Opening Bowlers: Habib Deldar, Harsh Mandhyan, Abhishek Kheterpal and Asanka Weligamage
Spin Options: Harsh Mandhyan
HUNGARY Key Players:
Marc Ahuja, captain and key batsman, the Mumbai-born player has T20I experience and is the lynchpin of the batting line-up. A solid, anchor batsman, he starred in both the 2020 and 2021 ECS Hungary tournaments for back-to-back title winners, Royal Tigers.
Satyadeep Aswathnarayan, wicketkeeper and big-hitting batsman with T20I experience, he is a middle-order gun to watch out for.
Abhishek Kheterpal, right-arm fast bowler who loves taking the new ball and can swing it both ways, he is a genuine threat in the powerplay overs. He was the top wicket-taker in FanCode ECS Hungary 2021 with 14 wickets at an average of 10.00 and economy rate of 8.23.
Ranked 61 in the ICC Men's T20I team rankings, Hungary are the lowest ranked of the Group B teams, but boast several talented players with decent ECS experience. Ranked ahead of HUN at 52, Portugal have a 4-0 win-loss record in T20Is this year and will be keen to make a fast start.
Match Prediction: Portugal (POR) to win convincingly.
