Group C | MATCH 17 (ECC21.065) CZECH REPUBLIC (CZR) v ITALY (ITA) 0900 GMT | 1100 CET | 1430 IST
CZR Timeline: W W W L L L (Avg Score For 98, Avg Score Against 114)
ITA Timeline: L L L L W W (Avg Score For 100, Avg Score Against 104)
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 155 runs in six games, has bagged a couple of man of the match awards. He also scalped SIX wickets finishing joint top 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 99 runs in six 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 132 runs in six 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 EIGHT wickets.
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. Top scorer for ITA racking up 115 runs in six 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 FIVE 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 games.
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 for ITA scalping 12 wickets including a best return of 4-19 vs GER in the opening game. Second highest run scorer for ITA blasting 98 runs in six games.
Muhammad Imran, all-rounder has scored 51 runs in three innings including an unbeaten 45 off 17 balls vs CZR. Has also picked up three wickets.
Italy shocked Group C favourites ENG XI in the opening game on Wednesday and went on to beat FIN in the next game to climb off the bottom of the standings. Czech Republic have lost three consecutive games, slipping down to third place in the standings. CZR will be keen to finish in the top two, but will not be easy against the in-form Italians.
Last time they met: ECC21.052 | CZR 107(9.3) def ITA 103 (27 Sep 2021)
Match Prediction: Italy (ITA) to win three consecutive games.
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