GROUP C | ELIMINATOR - MATCH 21 (ECC21.069) ITALY (ITA) v CZECH REPUBLIC (CZR) 0700 GMT | 0900 CET | 1230 IST
ITA Timeline: L L L L W W W W (Avg Score For 101, Avg Score Against 95)
CZR Timeline: W W W L L L L L (Avg Score For 89, Avg Score Against 111)
ITALY (ITA)
Captain: Baljit Singh
Wicket Keeper: Nisar Ahmed
Projected Top Order: Nisar Ahmed, Amir Sharif, Hassan Ahmad, Simranjit Singh
Projected Opening Bowlers: Muhammad Imran, Ravi Paul, Amir Sharif
Spin Options: Adnan Muhammad, Jorawar Singh
Coach: KI Kamal
ITALY Key Players:
Baljit Singh, right arm medium pacer with good numbers in international T20. The experienced campaigner can also swing the bat hard. Second highest scorer for ITA racking up 140 runs in eight games. Muscled a brilliant match winning 43* off 20 balls vs ENG XI to take his side to a first ECC win. Has also picked up SIX wickets.
Hassan Ahmad, hard hitting batter, played a vital role in Jinnah Brescia’s surge to the FanCode ECS Italy Brescia title earlier this year, third highest scorer for Italy racking up 91 runs in six innings.
Amir Sharif, right handed batter and right arm pacer, played for Fresh Tropical in the ECS, capable of swinging the ball away from the right hander at pace, top wicket taker in the tournament so far scalping 15 wickets including a best return of 4-19 vs GER in the opening game. Highest run scorer for ITA blasting 159 runs in eight games.
Jaspreet Singh, right arm medium pacer, has been good throughout the tournament picking up EIGHT wickets in six games with a best return of 3-7 sv CZR.
Ravi Paul, left arm pacer, can swing the ball into the right hander and move it away with the angle, has good variations as well. Picked up 2-24 vs GER in the first game on Monday. Returned to the side on Thursday and bagged 4-7 against Germany in the last group stage game.
CZECH REPUBLIC (CZR)
Captain: Arun Ashokan
Wicket Keeper: Hilal Ahmad
Projected Top Order: Sabawoon Davizi, Arun Ashokan, Sudesh Wickramasekara, Aakash Parmar
Projected Opening Bowlers: Sabawoon Davizi, Ali Waqar
Spin Options: Keyur Mehta, Naveed Ahmed, Arun Ashokan
Coach: Alex Sirisena
Sudesh Wickramasekara, known as “The Beast” for his hard hitting abilities, joint World Record holder for fastest ton in T20Is off just 35 balls. Can also bowl gentle medium pacers. Highest scorer for CZR racking up 159 runs in eight games, has bagged a couple of man of the match awards. He has also scalped SIX wickets and is second highest wicket taker for CZR.
Sabawoon Davizi, star all-rounder, vastly experienced in the T10 format, third highest wicket taker for CZR picking up FIVE wickets. The left hander has also scored 128 runs in eight games.
Arun Ashokan, captain, classy opening batter, has looked good at the top of the order providing solid starts to his side, second highest scorer for CZR racking up 145 runs in eight games including an unbeaten 75 off 28 balls vs FIN on Tuesday.
Satyajit Sengupta, the right arm medium pacer returned tournament best figures of 4-6 against Finland on Monday bettering the previous record of 4-10 by Azam Khalil and Abhishek Kheterpal. Top wicket taker for CZR scalping 10 wickets in eight games.
After losing their first four games, Italy have turned things around superbly winning the next four in dominant fashion. ITA have momentum on their side and look strong favourites against a struggling Czech Republic side. After making a fast start early in the tournament with three straight wins, CZR have slumped to five consecutive defeats and looked a tired side.
Last time they met: ECC21.065 | ITA 49(5.5) def CZR 48 (30 Sep 2021)
Match Prediction: Italy (ITA) to progress to the second qualifier.
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