The mad scramble continues for the key top four qualification spots, with leaders Vienna Afghan, Cricketer CC, Salzburg and newcomers Vienna Danube all playing a couple of games a piece as the top and bottom four qualifying places of an enthralling FanCode ECS Austria Vienna are finalised.
Teams
INVIndian Vienna (4-3, NR+0.576)
PKCPakistan CC (4-3, NRR+0.343)
VIA Vienna Afghan (4-1, NRR+0.200)
SALSalzburg (3-2, NRR+1.426)
VCCVienna CC (3-4, NRR+0.174)
VID Vienna Danube (2-2-1, NRR+0.449)
BAA Bangladesh Austria (2-4-1, NRR-1.724)
CRC Cricketers CC (1-4, NRR-1.597)
MATCH 25 (ECS21.269)
CRICKETER CC (CRC) v VIENNA AFGHAN (VIA)
0700 GMT | 0900 CET | 1230 IST
CRC Last Five Matches: W L L L L
VIA Last Five Matches: W L W W WGB
CRICKETER CC (CRC)
Captain: Bilal Zalmai
Wicketkeeper: Basheer Ahamadzari
Projected Top Four: Bilal Zalmai, Mohammad Waqar Zalmai, Jaweed Zadran, Baseer Khan
Projected Opening Bowlers: Mohammad Waqar Zalmai, Baseer Khan
Spin Options: Bilal Zalmai
CRICKETER CC Key Players:
Bilal Zalmai, captain, big hitting all-rounder, top scorer for Pakistan CC at ECS Vienna last summer racking up 338 runs at a strike rate of 266 including 26 maximos, also picked up seven wickets. Man of the match in his side’s only victory with 55, 136 runs in five knocks.
Mohammad Waqar Zalmai, top wicket taker for his side at ECN Austria T10 scalping seven wickets from four matches with a best return of 4-7. Hasn’t hit the heights here with three wickets in four matches so far.
Baseer Khan, best of the Cricketer CC fast bowling battery with four wickets so far, also added useful runs with the bat, almost outshining his captain with 135 in five knocks.
VIENNA AFGHAN (VIA)
Captain: Aman Ahmadzai
Wicketkeeper: Qadargul Utmanzai
Projected Top Four: Razmal Shigiwal, Qadargul Utmanzai, Sadiq Muhammad, 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. 76 runs in five knocks is an average start here, it’s time for Shigiwal to stand up and be counted.
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 in his 111 runs in five knocks with a best of 64.
Sadiq Muhammad, hits the ball hard, top run scorer for VIA with 149 runs in five knocks, including a best of 56 capped by the man-of-the-match award.
Match Prediction: ECN Austrian T10 champions VIA survived a real scare against Salzburg but prevailed in a dramatic Golden Ball finish. CRC are looking to snap a four game losing run against the leaders Vienna Afghan. Bilal Zalmai normally has to score a heap of runs to compete and CRC have also been seriously hampered by the unavailability of star all-rounder Shadnan Khan. The underdogs, the current bottom side can push VIA all the way in the opening game.
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MATCH 26 (ECS21.270)
SALZBURG (SAL) v VIENNA DANUBE (VID)
0900 GMT | 1100 CET | 1430 IST
SAL Last Five Matches: GBL W W L W
VID Last Five Matches: W NR W L L
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, Mubashar AlI, Ali Shah
SALZBURG CC Key Players:
Abrar Bilal - top scorer for Salzburg in their march to the ECS Vienna final last summer with 235 runs in 10 innings. Keeping wicket in this tournament as well.
Zeeshan Goraya - leading wicket taker for Salzburg at ECS Vienna last summer with 13 victims, batting higher up in this tournament, blasting 65 off 25 balls to see off INV. Taken five wickets as well with the new cherry with a best of 3-8.
Muhammad Shahbaz - starred for Austrian Tigers at ECN Austrian T10. Lovely left-hand bat, pleasing on the eye, 32 off 17 balls in the comfortable win over VCC. Can also grab vital wickets with his spin.
Ali Shah - classy left-arm spinner with seven wickets in ten overs of delightfully spinning his web.
VIENNA DANUBE (VID)
Captain: Khyber Malyar
Wicketkeeper: Zaid Miralikhel
Projected Top Four: Khyber Malyar, Zaid Miralikhel, Klair Kailash, Mohammad Safi
Projected Opening Bowlers: Abdul Rahman Miralikhel, Obaidullah Omari
Spin Options: Khyber Malyar, Ahmed Zadran, Soleimankhel Habibullah
VIENNA DANUBE Key Players:
Khyber Malyar, captain, LHB, played for Vienna Afghan at ECN Austrian T10 racking up 132 runs, hit 25 off 20 as VID edged past Cricketers in a six over game.
Klair Kailash, top scored for Pak Riders CC at ECN Austrian T10 mustering 117 runs from four innings. Top run scorer for VID with 116 in five knocks.
Obaidullah Omari, top scored in the defeat to PKC with 31 off 17 balls and also impressed on occasion with the ball.
Soleimankhel Habibullah, spinner started with a match winning performance and his only over on day 2 cost only three runs. Four wickets in five overs this ECS.
Match Prediction: Salzburg (SAL) can seal a likely top four spot with a win over debutants Vienna Danube, who have had a few days off from the action and may be a bit rusty.
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MATCH 27 (ECS21.271)
VIENNA AFGHAN (VIA) v VIENNA DANUBE (VID)
VIA Last Five Matches: W L W W WGB
VID Last Five Matches: W NR W L L
VIENNA AFGHAN (VIA)
Captain: Aman Ahmadzai
Wicketkeeper: Qadargul Utmanzai
Projected Top Four: Razmal Shigiwal, Qadargul Utmanzai, Sadiq Muhammad, 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. 76 runs in five knocks is an average start here, it’s time for Shigiwal to stand up and be counted.
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 in his 111 runs in five knocks with a best of 64.
Sadiq Muhammad, hits the ball hard, top run scorer for VIA with 149 runs in five knocks, including a best of 56 capped by the man-of-the-match award.
VIENNA DANUBE (VID)
Captain: Khyber Malyar
Wicketkeeper: Zaid Miralikhel
Projected Top Four: Khyber Malyar, Zaid Miralikhel, Klair Kailash, Mohammad Safi
Projected Opening Bowlers: Abdul Rahman Miralikhel, Obaidullah Omari
Spin Options: Khyber Malyar, Ahmed Zadran, Soleimankhel Habibullah
VIENNA DANUBE Key Players:
Khyber Malyar, captain, LHB, played for Vienna Afghan at ECN Austrian T10 racking up 132 runs during their march to the title. Will be keen to do well against his former team.
Klair Kailash, top scored for Pak Riders CC at ECN Austrian T10 mustering 117 runs from four innings. Top run scorer for VID with 116 in five knocks.
Obaidullah Omari, top scored in the defeat to PKC with 31 off 17 balls and also impressed on occasion with the ball.
Soleimankhel Habibullah, spinner started with a match winning performance and his only over on day 2 cost only three runs. Four wickets in five overs this ECS.
Match Prediction: Two teams with predominantly Afghani origins clash and therefore it should normally be a fierce battle in VIenna all things being equal. VIA have the experience, winning mentality and strength in depth, but may already be qualified in the top four teams, leaving any result at all possible. That said, a VIA win is the most probable outcome.
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MATCH 28 (ECS21.272)
SALZBURG (SAL) V CRICKETER CC (CRC)
1300 GMT | 1500 CET | 1830 IST
SAL Last Five Matches: GBL W W L W
CRC Last Five Matches: W L L L L
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, Mubashar Ali, Ali Shah
SALZBURG CC Key Players:
Abrar Bilal - top scorer for Salzburg in their march to the ECS Vienna final last summer with 235 runs in 10 innings. Keeping wicket in this tournament as well.
Zeeshan Goraya - leading wicket taker for Salzburg at ECS Vienna last summer with 13 victims, batting higher up in this tournament, blasting 65 off 25 balls to see off INV. Taken five wickets as well with the new cherry with a best of 3-8.
Muhammad Shahbaz - starred for Austrian Tigers at ECN Austrian T10. Lovely left-hand bat, pleasing on the eye, 32 off 17 balls in the comfortable win over VCC. Can also grab vital wickets with his spin.
Ali Shah - classy left-arm spinner with seven wickets in ten overs of delightfully spinning his web.
CRICKETER CC (CRC)
Captain: Bilal Zalmai
Wicketkeeper: Basheer Ahamadzari
Projected Top Four: Bilal Zalmai, Jaweed Zadran, Baseer Khan, Mohammad Waqar Zalmai
Projected Opening Bowlers: Mohammad Waqar Zalmai, Shadnan Khan
Spin Options: Bilal Zalmai
CRICKETER CC Key Players:
Bilal Zalmai, captain, big hitting all-rounder, top scorer for Pakistan CC at ECS Vienna last summer racking up 338 runs at a strike rate of 266 including 26 maximos, also picked up seven wickets. Man of the match in his side’s only victory with 55, 136 runs in five knocks.
Mohammad Waqar Zalmai, top wicket taker for his side at ECN Austria T10 scalping seven wickets from four matches with a best return of 4-7. Hasn’t hit the heights here with three wickets in four matches so far.
Baseer Khan, best of the Cricketer CC fast bowling battery with four wickets so far, also added useful runs with the bat, almost outshining his captain with 135 in five knocks.
Match Prediction: A decent Salzburg side will be looking to go deep in the competition again. Salzburg only succumbed to Pakistan CC after a major collapse in theEuropean Cricket Series Vienna final last summer. Salzburg may have already qualified for the top four places against a Cricketer CC side who have not coped at all well with the absence of star all-rounder Shadnan Khan. The pressure to perform is likely to be off in this final game of the initial round robin stage and anything could happen.
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