Germany host France and Norway in a Tri-series in Krefeld with seven T20I matches over four days.
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MATCH 1
GERMANY (GER) v NORWAY (NOR)
0900 GMT | 1100 CEST | 1430 IST
GER Last Five Matches: W L W W W
NOR Last Five Matches: L L L L L
GERMANY (GER)
Captain: Venkatraman Ganesan
Wicketkeeper: Harish Srinivasan
Projected Top Four: Vijayshankar Chikkannaiah, Abdul-Shakoor Rahimzei, Venkatraman Ganesan, Harmanjot Singh
Projected Opening Bowlers: Sajid Liaqat, Nooruddin Mujadady
Spin Options: Vishnu Bharati, Ghulam Rasul Ahmadi, Venkatraman Ganesan.
GERMANY Key Players:
Venkatraman Ganesan, solid top-order batsman and captain, who plays for Dusseldorf Blackcaps. He is also a handy off-spinner. He has played six T20I matches after making his debut in 2019.
Sahil Naqash Experienced 31-year-old all-rounder who bowls medium pace and bats in the lower-order. He has played eight T20Is for Germany.
Harmanjot Singh, exciting top-order batsman, who also bowls medium pace. He has a highest score of 44* in T20Is and has played nine of them since his debut in 2019.
Vishnu Barathi, a tidy left-arm finger spinner. Picked up 3/21 in his last T20I appearance in 2020 against Spain.
NORWAY (NOR)
Captain: Raza Iqbal
Wicketkeeper: Junaid Mehmood Hussain
Projected Top Four: Raza Iqbal, Ehtsham ul Haq, Waqas Ahmed, Junaid Mehmood Hussain
Projected Opening Bowlers: Faizan Mumtaz, Hashir Hussain
Spin Options: Bilal Safdar, Waqas Ahmed, Pritvhi Bhart, Raza Iqbal
NORWAY Key Players:
Raza Iqbal, the Norway captain is a brilliant all-rounder, who played a key role in helping Norway top the Group C of 2018 ICC T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier. He made 125 runs and took 9 wickets at an economy of 3.35 in the tournament. In the Regional qualifiers in 2020, he took five wickets with his left-arm wrist spin.
Faizan Mumtaz, the aggressive right-arm quick and lower-order batter played a key role in the 2018 ICC T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier, but is yet to play an international T20I after Norway's matches got ICC recognition.
Pritvhi Bhart, right arm wrist spin bowler, Bhart gets good flight and turn and was very economical the last time these teams met. His three overs leaked just 12 runs then. The all-rounder has played five T20Is till date.
Match Prediction: Hosts Germany are a decent side with experienced players and favourites on home soil to beat Norway in the opening T20I.
MATCH 2
FRANCE (FRA) v NORWAY (NOR)
1330 GMT | 1530 CEST | 1900 IST
FRA Last Five Matches: Yet to play T20Is
NOR Last Five Matches: L L L L L
FRANCE (FRA)
Captain: Usman Shahid
Wicketkeeper: Hevit Alodin Jackson
Projected Top Four: Noman Amjad, Usman Shahid, Usman Riaz Khan, Junaid Ahamed
Projected Opening Bowlers: Mustafa Omer, Rahmatullah Mangal
Spin Options: Usman Shahid, Ibrahim Jabarkhel, Mobashar Hussain Ashraf
FRANCE Key Players:
Usman Riaz Khan, hugely-talented batsman, who is the fourth-highest run-getter in 2021 in all cricket under the France Cricket Governing Body. Averaging 62.6, Usman smashed a highest score of 62* in four matches this year.
Usman Shahid, captain and top-order batsman, made 151 runs at 37.75 and strike-rate of 138.53 in 2021. Plays for the Paris Universite Club.
Ibrahim Jabarkhil, right-arm finger spinner. Picked up 11 wickets in five matches in 2021. He could be the lead spinner for France in the series.
Santhirakumaran Suventhiran, a tidy batsman with crisp stroke-play, made 254 runs with a highest-score of 75 in 2020 in cricket under France's governing body.
NORWAY (NOR)
Captain: Raza Iqbal
Wicketkeeper: Junaid Mehmood Hussain
Projected Top Four: Raza Iqbal, Ehtsham ul Haq, Waqas Ahmed, Junaid Mehmood Hussain
Projected Opening Bowlers: Faizan Mumtaz, Hashir Hussain
Spin Options: Bilal Safdar, Waqas Ahmed, Pritvhi Bhart, Raza Iqbal
NORWAY Key Players:
Raza Iqbal, the Norway captain is a brilliant all-rounder, who played a key role in helping Norway top the Group C of 2018 ICC T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier. He made 125 runs and took 9 wickets at an economy of 3.35 in the tournament. In the Regional qualifiers in 2020, he took five wickets with his left-arm wrist spin.
Faizan Mumtaz, the aggressive right-arm quick and lower-order batter played a key role in the 2018 ICC T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier, but is yet to play an international T20I after Norway's matches got ICC recognition.
Pritvhi Bhart, right arm wrist spin bowler, Bhart gets good flight and turn and was very economical the last time these teams met. His three overs leaked just 12 runs then. The all-rounder has played five T20Is till date.
Match Prediction: Norway have lost their last five matches and have a tough start to the day against hosts Germany. Norway will need to play really well to test France, who are strong favourites.
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