Group C | MATCH 4 (ECC21.052) ITALY (ITA) v CZECH REPUBLIC (CZR) 1300 GMT | 1500 CET | 1830 IST
ITA Timeline: ECC DEBUT
CZR Timeline: ECC DEBUT
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
ITALY Key Players:
Simranjit Singh, classical batter, plays the straight drive and pull shot very well, can up the ante whenever required. Was the main man at FanCode ECS Italy Bologna earlier this year, top scoring for Kings XI hammering 228 runs in seven innings at a SR of 245, including an unbeaten 88 off 25 balls to take his side to an unlikely victory.
Janaka Waas, aggressive batter, doesn’t take any time to get going, muscling 128 runs in eight innings at FanCode ECS Italy Brescia this season. He was also top wicket taker for his side picking up 10 wickets at an ER of just 5.50 including a best return of 4-9 in the Final.
Baljit Singh, right arm medium pacer with good numbers in international T20 scalping 12 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 5.52. The experienced campaigner can also swing the bat hard scoring 340 runs in 13 ECS matches at a SR of 193.
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. Leading wicket taker at European Cricket Series November 2020 scalping 16 wickets in eight games. He also picked up SIX wickets in five games at FanCode ECS Italy Milan earlier this year.
Hassan Ahmad, hard hitting batter, played a vital role in Jinnah Brescia’s surge to the FanCode ECS Italy Brescia title amassing 274 runs in nine innings at an average of 54.80 and a SR of over 194.The talented left hander also featured in ECL19 for Janjua Brescia and at Dream11 European Cricket Series St Gallen 2020 where he was second highest run scorer in the tournament racking up 230 runs in eight innings.
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
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 call on bags of T10 experience playing in ECS mustering 509 runs in 17 games. Can also bowl gentle medium pacers.
Sabawoon Davizi, star all-rounder, scored 91 runs on debut - fifth highest on T20I debut, also has a hundred to his name against Malta in 68 balls which happens to be the eighth longest T20I innings (in terms of balls played). Vastly experienced in the T10 format, scoring 730 runs and picking up 23 wickets in 23 ECN matches over the past two years.
Arun Ashokan, captain, classy opening batter, will look to provide solid starts to his side. Scored 212 runs in 10 games for the victorious Prague CC Kings in the FanCode ECS Czech Republic Prague earlier this year.
Ali Waqar, right arm pacer, made his T20I debut earlier this year vs Luxembourg, bowls good lines and is economical more often than not. Has bagged 17 wickets in 18 ECN matches at an economy of just 7.26 runs per over.
Both these sides will have played earlier and appear evenly matched on paper. Which side can claim a precious victory?
Match Prediction: Italy (ITA) to edge a narrow win.
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