Day 5 PREVIEW: FanCode ECS Austria Vienna – Matches 17 to 20

A mouthwatering Pakistan CC vs Indian Vienna clash awaits on Day 5.  INV will also meet in-form hosts Vienna CC in the opening game of the day. Salzburg, runners up at ECS Vienna last summer, enter the fray for two games against Vienna Afghan and current leaders Vienna CC to round off the day.

Teams

VCC  Vienna CC (3-2, NRR+1.653)

VIA  Vienna Afghan (3-1, NRR+0.250)

VID  Vienna Danube (2-2-1, NRR+0.449)

BAA  Bangladesh Austria (2-2-1, NRR-1.934)

INV  Indian Vienna (2-1, NRR+1.067)

PKC  Pakistan CC (2-3, NRR-0.122)

CRCCricketers CC (1-3, NRR-1.005)

SAL  Salzburg (0-0, NRR+0.000)

MATCH 17 (ECS21.261)

VIENNA CC (VCC) v INDIAN VIENNA (INV)

0700 GMT | 0900 CET | 1230 IST

VCC Last Five Matches: L L L W W

INV Last Five Matches:  L L W L W

VIENNA CC (VCC)

Captain: Quinton Norris

Wicketkeeper: Quinton Norris / Rayhaan Ahamed

Projected Top Four: Mark Simpson Parker, Lakmal Kasthuri Arachchige, Abdullah Akbarjan, Daniel Eckstein 

Projected Opening Bowlers: Mark Simpson Parker, Daniel Eckstein

Spin Options: Lakmal Kasthuri Arachchige

VIENNA CC Key Players:

Abdullah Akbarjan, only VCC batsman to top 100 runs in ECN Austrian T10 at a SR of over 228, talented left-armer with good variations, starred for Pakistan CC in their ECS success, taking 6-30 in 7 overs, economy rate just 4.28. Key man for VCC with bat and ball. Impressed again with 123 runs in five knocks and grabbed a triple wicket maiden in Thursday's action, including a hat-trick.

Mark Simpson Parker, Austrian international all-rounder, useful bowler, picked up his scoring rate on Day 3 with two match winning knocks, 55 off 31 balls against VIA, followed by 44 off 27 vs. BAA. MSP is a man in form, second leading run scorer in the tournament with 156 runs.

Daniel Eckstein, hard hitting all-rounder who hit form with a match-winning 44 off 18 balls including four sixes againsts CRC.

INDIAN VIENNA (INV)

Captain: Kunal Joshi

Wicketkeeper: Mehar Cheema

Projected Top Four: Kumud Jha, Mehar Cheema, Kunal Joshi, Abhishek Gopalkrishnan

Projected Opening Bowlers: Ahmad Ghani, Kunal Joshi

Spin Options: Kumud Jha, Daud Zadran

INDIAN VIENNA Key Players:

Kumud Jha, lovely spin bowler, top wicket taker at ECS Vienna last summer with 15 scalps from nine games, can chip in some quick runs with bat too.

Mehar Cheema, wk and opening bat has looked in good nick with 130 runs in three knocks, including a man-of-the-match award against VID.

Daud Zadran, top all-rounder in the Indian Vienna side at ECN Austria T10 scoring over fifty runs and picking up four wickets. Already bagged five wickets in six overs this time around.

Kunal Joshi, captain, all-rounder, mustered 204 runs from 10 matches atECS Vienna last summer. Four wickets in six overs this campaign.

Match Prediction:  Two evenly-matched sides meet in the first match of the day. Vienna CC are on a roll, winning three in a row, but this could go either way.

__________________

MATCH 18 (ECS21.262)

SALZBURG CC (VCC) v VIENNA AFGHAN (VIA)

0900 GMT | 1100 CET | 1430 IST

SAL Last Five Matches: W W W W L

VIA Last Five Matches: W W L W W

SALZBURG CC (SAL)

Captain: Mubashar Ali

Wicketkeeper: Abrar Bilal

Projected Top Four: Abrar Bilal, Zeeshan Goraya, Imran Asif, Muhammad Shahbaz

Projected Opening Bowlers: Zeeshan Goraya, Imran Asif

Spin Options: Mohammad Shahbaz

SALZBURG CC Key Players:

Abrar Bilal - top scorer for Salzburg in their march to the ECS Vienna final with 235 runs in 10 innings, also chipping in with five wickets. May also keep wicket.

Zeeshan Goraya - leading wicket taker for Salzburg at ECS Vienna with 13 victims, will also bat higher up in the tournament.

Muhammad Shahbaz - starred for Austrian Tigers at ECN Austrian T10. Lovely left-hand bat, pleasing on the eye. Can also grab vital wickets with his spin.

VIENNA AFGHAN (VIA)

Captain: Aman Ahmadzai

Wicketkeeper: Qadargul Utmanzai

Projected Top Four: Razmal Shigiwal, Qadargul Utmanzai, Muhammad Sadiq, Ahmad Naveed Mustafa

Projected Opening Bowlers: Sahil Zadran, Zain Muhammad

Spin Options: Zabi Ibrahim

VIENNA AFGHAN Key Players:

Razmal Shigiwal, opening batsman, hits the ball cleanly, top run scorer at ECN Austria T10 last summer mustering 204 runs at an SR of 243, also picked up six wickets. 65 runs in three knocks is a solid start here for Shigiwal.

Qadargul Utmanzai, impressive for INV at European Cricket Series Vienna last season, smashing 235 runs in just seven knocks at an SR of over 199. Started with two man-of-the-man displays already, top scorer for VIA with 94 in three knocks with a best of 64.

Muhammad Sadiq, hits the ball hard, started with 3 sixes in his crucial 13-ball 24. 

Last time they met: SAL beat VIA by 6 wkts SCORECARD

This is a meeting of two powerhouses of Austrian cricket. Salzburg only succumbed to Pakistan CC after a major collapse in theEuropean Cricket Series Vienna final last summer; having beaten VIA in the semi-finals quite handily. A decent Salzburg side will be looking to go deep in the competition again.

Match Prediction: Vienna Afghan (VIA) are growing very used to the conditions and can grab the points.

__________________

MATCH 19 (ECS21.263)

INDIAN VIENNA (INV) V PAKISTAN CC (PKC)

1100 GMT | 1300 CET | 1630 IST

INDIAN VIENNA (INV)

Captain: Kunal Joshi

Wicketkeeper: Mehar Cheema

Projected Top Four: Kumud Jha, Mehar Cheema, Kunal Joshi, Abhishek Gopalkrishnan

Projected Opening Bowlers: Ahmad Ghani, Kunal Joshi

Spin Options: Kumud Jha, Daud Zadran

INDIAN VIENNA Key Players:

Kumud Jha, lovely spin bowler, top wicket taker at ECS Vienna last summer with 15 scalps from nine games, can chip in some quick runs with bat too.

Mehar Cheema, wk and opening bat has looked in good nick with 130 runs in three knocks, including a man-of-the-match award against VID.

Daud Zadran, top all-rounder in the Indian Vienna side at ECN Austria T10 scoring over fifty runs and picking up four wickets. Already bagged five wickets in six overs this time around.

Kunal Joshi, captain, all-rounder, mustered 204 runs from 10 matches atECS Vienna last summer. Four wickets in six overs this campaign.

PAKISTAN CC (PKC)

Captain: Arsalan Arif

Wicketkeeper: Arsalan Arif, Amir Naeem

Projected Top Four: Naveed Sadiq, Amir Naeem, Mirza Ahsan, Aqib Iqbal

Projected Opening Bowlers: Naveed Sadiq, Aqib Iqbal

Spin Options: Adal Afzal, Mirza Ahsan

PAKISTAN CC Key Players:

Naveed Sadiq, started in impressive fashion with both bat and ball with a man-of-the-match display on the opening day. Leading wicket taker for PKC with seven victims.

Sikander Hayat, all-rounder, clever leg spin bowler, top wicket taker for PKC on their march to the ECS Vienna title with 11 victims in as many overs, can hit sixes at will.

Arsalan Arif, captain,top run scorer for his side at ECN Austrian T10 with 100 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 200 including 11 maximos.

Aqib Iqbal, impressed for Austrian Cricket Tigers at ECN Austrian T10, could be a big performance around the corner.

Last meeting - PKC won by 30 runs in ECS Vienna Semi-final 2020 - 139(10) 109 (10)

SCORECARD

A mouthwatering India v Pakistan clash in Vienna. Certainly, Pakistan CC are the most successful club ever in Austrian cricket but PKC have not been at their best so far this week. Not to be underestimated, Indian Vienna will push PKC all the way.

Match Prediction: Pakistan CC (PKC) to snatch a tense win.

__________________

MATCH 20 (ECS21.264)

VIENNA CC (VCC) vs SALZBURG (SAL)

1300 GMT | 1500 CET | 1830 IST

VCC Last Five Matches: L L L W W

SAL Last Five Matches: W W W W L

VIENNA CC (VCC)

Captain: Quinton Norris

Wicketkeeper: Quinton Norris

Projected Top Four: Mark Simpson Parker, Lakmal Kasthuri Arachchige, Abdullah Akbarjan, Daniel Eckstein 

Projected Opening Bowlers: Mark Simpson Parker, Daniel Eckstein

Spin Options: Lakmal Kasthuri Arachchige

VIENNA CC Key Players:

Abdullah Akbarjan, only VCC batsman to top 100 runs in ECN Austrian T10 at a SR of over 228, talented left-armer with good variations, starred for Pakistan CC in their ECS success, taking 6-30 in 7 overs, economy rate just 4.28. Key man for VCC with bat and ball. Impressed again with 123 runs in five knocks and grabbed a triple wicket maiden in Thursday's action, including a hat-trick.

Mark Simpson Parker, Austrian international all-rounder, useful bowler, picked up his scoring rate on Day 3 with two match winning knocks, 55 off 31 balls against VIA, followed by 44 off 27 vs. BAA. MSP is a man in form, second leading run scorer in the tournament with 156 runs.

Daniel Eckstein, hard hitting all-rounder who hit form with a match-winning 44 off 18 balls including four sixes againsts CRC.

Quinton Norris, former teammate of Kevin Pietersen in South Africa will lead by example from behind the stumps. Can clear the fence when needed.

SALZBURG CC (SAL)

Captain: Mubashar Ali

Wicketkeeper: Abrar Bilal

Projected Top Four: Abrar Bilal, Zeeshan Goraya, Imran Asif, Muhammad Shahbaz

Projected Opening Bowlers: Zeeshan Goraya, Imran Asif

Spin Options: Mohammad Shahbaz

SALZBURG CC Key Players:

Abrar Bilal - top scorer for Salzburg in their march to the ECS Vienna final with 235 runs in 10 innings. Also chipped in five wickets from his five overs.

Zeeshan Goraya - leading wicket taker for Salzburg at ECS Vienna with 13 victims, will also bat higher up in the tournament.

Muhammad Shahbaz - starred for Austrian Tigers at ECN Austrian T10. Lovely left-hand bat, pleasing on the eye. Can also grab vital wickets with his spin.

Match Prediction: Salzburg will have eased into the tournament and know the conditions by now. SAL can grab the win against hosts VCC.