The European Cricket Network live broadcasts the 2020 European Cricket Series Finland encounter between Empire Blades and Greater Helsinki Markhors.

PREVIEW: MATCH 1 – Empire Blades v Greater Helsinki Markhors – European Cricket Series Finland

Tune in to the live action Saturday from 10am CEST * 9am UK * 8am GMT * 1:30pm IST from the Kerava National Cricket Ground in Finland.

Team Preview for Empire Blades

Empire have had a successful season so far in the Finnish Premier League T20, sitting second on the ladder with a 9-4 record. They face a change of format this weekend and must cope without the talented Mahesh Tambe.

Captain: Amjad Sher

Main Wicketkeeper: Jonathan Scamans

Key Players:

Amjad Sher is Empire’s ‘Iceman’ and their ‘Captain Cool’ will likely open the batting this weekend. He is their leading six hitter this season and fastest scoring batsman. If that's not all, he's also taken 21 wickets in 12 FPL matches this year and is their most economical bowler, only giving up 5.15 runs per over.

Muhammad Imran has taken 10 wickets this year. Given the T10 format, I think he might be thrown up a bit higher in the batting order and we could see him bat in the top three.

Udaybhaskar Nandini is the Blades’ mystery spinner. He can bowl offspin, legspin and seam up – often mixing these deliveries up in a single over! He is a great team man and always gives 120% in the field.

Team Preview for Greater Helsinki Markhors

Greater Helsinki Markhors have had a dismal season in T20 cricket, anchored to the bottom of the table with only three wins and eight losses. They will hope for a change of fortunes in the European Cricket Series, and I think they’ve got some players who will enjoy the different style of cricket.

Captain: Naveed Shahid

Main Wicketkeeper: Abdullah Attiqe

Key Players:

Ziaur Rehman is the team’s star all-rounder. He will open the batting and chip in with some off spin too. He is their leading FPL run scorer this season with 292 at an average of 26.5.

Abdullah Attiqe is a big hitting keeper who will bat in the middle order. He has the best strike rate of any Markhors batsman in the FPL this season.

Naveed Shahid will captain the side. He is a slippery left arm paceman who will open the bowling and bat in the middle order. He is their leading wicket taker in the Premier League this year with 16 scalps. Dependable with the bat, he has a half-century to his name in the T20 competition this year.

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Mr Maximo’s tip: Greater Helsinki Markhors

The FPL T20 form suggests this game favours the Empire Blades, but I think they will be affected by the loss of Mahesh Tambe, while Greater Helsinki have several players that I think will take to the ECS like a duck to water. So I am tipping a bit of an upset to start the tournament, with Greater Helsinki Markhors my prediction to win the series opener. Tune in all weekend on ECN to get your T10 fix!