FanCode ECS Croatia provides an opportunity for five teams contesting 24 games over six days to establish the Champions. Every game will be live streamed worldwide on the European Cricket Network and on FanCode - a multi-sport aggregator platform, from the house of Dream Sports for the Indian Sub-Continent.
European Cricket Network live broadcasts four T10 matches on Day 6 of the 2021 FanCode ECS Croatia on Saturday 16 October.
With 20 exciting T10 games in the books, we have reached the business end of the competition with the magnificent trophy up for grabs in Split. Who will be crowned FanCode ECS Croatia Champions??
BEL Belgrade (7-1, NRR+4.189)
ZAS Zagreb Sokol (7-1, NRR+2.976)
LJU Ljubljana (3-5, NRR-1.019)
SIB Split India Brodosplit (2-6, NRR-1.923)
SOS Sir Oliver Split (1-7, NRR-3.824)
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FINAL - MATCH 24(ECS21.771)
ZAGREB SOKOL (ZAS) v LJUBLJANA (LJU))
1400 GMT | 1600 CET | 1930 IST
ZAS Last Five Matches: W W W W W (Avg Score For 120, Avg Score Against 91)
LJU Last Five Matches: L L L W W (Avg Score For 96, Avg Score Against 98)
ZAGREB SOKOL (ZAS)
Captain: Daniel Lazarides
Wicketkeeper: Mark Davies
Projected Top Four: Daniel Lazarides, Jai Thakur, Aman Maheshwari, Peter Amaan
Projected Opening Bowlers: Peter Amaan, MD Shaikat
Spin Options: Daniel Lazarides
ZAGREB SOKOL Key Players:
Daniel Lazarides, star all-rounder, Premier League player in the UK, the opener provides brisk starts for his side and is crucial with the ball in the middle overs with his left arm spin. Second highest scorer in the tournament muscling 263 runs in eight innings including THREE fifties.
Aman Maheshwari, tall right arm fast bowler and a fine hitter. Has picked up THREE wickets and also plundered 85 runs at a SR of 212.5.
Peter Amaan, power hitter, can provide the finishing touches to ZAS innings from the middle order. Second highest scorer for ZAS racking up 183 runs in seven innings including a fine 53 off 17 balls in the first qualifier. The all-rounder is also leading the wickets column scalping 10 wickets including a best figures of 5-16 vs BEL.
Arpit Shukla, right arm medium pacer, returned player of the match figures of 3-5 against SIB on Tuesday. He is the joint second highest wicket taker for ZAS scalping SEVEN victims at an ER of seven.
Suresh Shanmugam, the right arm medium pacer has impressed with his consistent line and lengths. He has picked up SIX wickets in eight overs at an economy rate of just 5.75.
LJUBLJANA (LJU)
Captain: Nilesh Ujawe
Wicketkeeper: Waqar Khan
Projected Top Four: Dinesh Matla, Shoaib Siddiqui, Nilesh Ujawe, Shahid Arshad
Projected Opening Bowlers: Shoaib Siddiqui, Mirwais Shinwari
Spin Options: Rizwan Zahoor, Ayush Pandey
LJUBLJANA Key Players:
Shoaib Siddiqui, a highly talented all-rounder, accurate with good line and length and consistent with the bat too. Top scorer for LJU scoring 250 runs in 10 games and has picked up NINE wickets. Returned tournament best figures of 5-4 in the Eliminator earlier in the day.
Nilesh Ujawe, left hand middle order batter and right arm medium pacer, has picked up SIX wickets with a best return of 2-4.
Shahid Arshad, another valuable all-rounder, technically sound and dependable with the bat, good in the field and a useful bowler. Second highest scorer for LJU with 149 runs in nine innings.
Om Raj, the right arm medium pacer has picked up NINE wickets and is the joint highest wicket taker for LJU.
Ljubljana made a late surge to reach the finals and will take on Zagreb Sokol who were outstanding through the tournament. While LJU will be looking to make a major upset, ZAS will hope to complete a great season on a high.
Last time they met: ECS21.765 | ZAS 80(7) def LJU 79 (15 Oct 2021)
Match Prediction: Zagreb Sokol (ZAS) to be crowned champions in Croatia.
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2ND QUALIFIER - MATCH 23 (ECS21.770)
LJUBLJANA (LJU) v BELGRADE (BEL)
1115 GMT | 1315 CET | 1645 IST
LJU Last Five Matches: W L L L W (Avg Score For 94, Avg Score Against 97)
BEL Last Five Matches: W W W W L (Avg Score For 121, Avg Score Against 86)
LJUBLJANA (LJU)
Captain: Nilesh Ujawe
Wicketkeeper: Waqar Khan
Projected Top Four: Dinesh Matla, Shoaib Siddiqui, Nilesh Ujawe, Shahid Arshad
Projected Opening Bowlers: Shoaib Siddiqui, Mirwais Shinwari
Spin Options: Rizwan Zahoor, Ayush Pandey
LJUBLJANA Key Players:
Shoaib Siddiqui, a highly talented all-rounder, accurate with good line and length and consistent with the bat too. Top scorer for LJU scoring 246 runs in nine games and has picked up EIGHT wickets. Returned tournament best figures of 5-4 in the Eliminator earlier in the day.
Nilesh Ujawe, left hand middle order batter and right arm medium pacer, has picked up FIVE wickets with a best return of 2-4.
Shahid Arshad, another valuable all-rounder, technically sound and dependable with the bat, good in the field and a useful bowler. Second highest scorer for LJU with 103 runs in eight innings.
Om Raj, the right arm medium pacer has picked up SEVEN wickets and is the second highest wicket taker for LJU.
BELGRADE (BEL)
Captain: Robin Vitas
Wicketkeeper: Adrian Dunbar
Projected Top Four: Adrian Dunbar, Wintley Burton, Alex Dizija, Robin Vitas
Projected Opening Bowlers: Vukasin Zimonjic, Alister Gajic
Spin Options: Mark Pavlovic, Michael Dorgan, Slobodan Tosic
BELGRADE Key Players:
Wintley Burton, star all-rounder from Antigua, can hit sixes effortlessly and equally good with the ball with his medium pacers. Second highest scorer for BEL amassing 244 runs in eight innings, including a well compiled 64 off 32 balls vs LJU in the group stage.
Gaurav Chopra, all-rounder, second highest wicket taker for BEL picking up SEVEN wickets with a best return of 3-6. He has also scored 86 runs in two innings including a fighting 61* off 26 balls vs ZAS in the first qualifier.
Alexander Dizija, the top order batter has looked solid, top scoring in the tournament with 328 runs in eight innings at an average of 82 including two fifty plus scores.
Michael Dorgan, slow left arm orthodox, has been impressive leading the wickets column for BEL with EIGHT wickets with a best return of 3-20.
Ljubljana had a complete performance against SIB in the eliminator and will be confident going into this game. Belgrade gave away too many runs which cost them the game vs ZAS in the first qualifier. BEL will look for a better showing against LJU.
Last time they met: ECS21.753 | BEL 82(7.5) def LJU 81 (12 Oct 2021)
Match Prediction: Belgrade (BEL) to win at a canter.
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ELIMINATOR - MATCH 21 (ECS21.768)
LJUBLJANA (LJU) v SPLIT INDIA BRODOSPLIT (SIB)
0630 GMT | 0830 CET | 1200 IST
LJU Last Five Matches: W W L L L (Avg Score For 93, Avg Score Against 103)
SIB Last Five Matches: L L L L L (Avg Score For 78, Avg Score Against 97)
LJUBLJANA (LJU)
Captain: Nilesh Ujawe
Wicketkeeper: Waqar Khan
Projected Top Four: Dinesh Matla, Shoaib Siddiqui, Nilesh Ujawe, Shahid Arshad
Projected Opening Bowlers: Shoaib Siddiqui, Mirwais Shinwari
Spin Options: Rizwan Zahoor, Ayush Pandey
LJUBLJANA Key Players:
Shoaib Siddiqui, a highly talented all-rounder, accurate with good line and length and consistent with the bat too. Top scorer for LJU scoring 230 runs in eight games including a player of the match performance of 56 off 29 balls vs SIB. He has picked up three wickets as well.
Nilesh Ujawe, left hand middle order batter and right arm medium pacer, Second highest wicket taker for LJU scalping FOUR victims.
Shahid Arshad, another valuable all-rounder, technically sound and dependable with the bat, good in the field and a useful bowler. Second highest scorer for LJU with 103 runs in eight games.
Om Raj, the right arm medium pacer finished the group stage as the top wicket taker for his side picking up SIX wickets with a best return of 2-18.
SPLIT INDIA BRODOSPLIT (SIB)
Captain: Vasu Pulibanti
Wicketkeeper: Pashe Sadagopan
Projected Top Four: Sellamuthu Ramaswamy, Mohan Karanam, Achari Sethunathan, Kuruvilla Abraham
Projected Opening Bowlers: Vasu Pulibanti, Kuruvilla Abraham
SPLIT INDIA BRODOSPLIT Key Players:
Mohan Karanam, left handed batter and left arm fast bowler, the all-rounder has scored 81 runs and picked up FOUR wickets in eight games.
Kuruvilla Abraham, one of the best all-rounders in the SOS side, will be taking the new cherry and bat in the middle order. Highest scorer for SIB scoring 188 runs in eight games. Also picked up FIVE wickets.
Amal Manuel, right arm fast bowler, second highest wicket taker for SIB picking up SIX wickets in eight games with a player of the match return of 3-5 vs SOS.
Achari Sethunathan, the right hander is a solid technical top order batter who will be looking to impress on the big stage of European Cricket. Has looked solid racking up 97 runs in eight games and is second highest run scorer for SIB.
Frajeesh Vallupara, a decent right handed batter and a talented medium pace bowler. Second highest wicket taker in the tournament picking up NINE victims with a best return of 4-12 vs LJU.
After two impressive wins on the opening day, SIB are on a rotten run of six straight defeats. Ljubljana have blown hot and cold winning three and losing six. Both sides have struggled in their most recent games and will have to bring their A game to progress into the second half of Finals Day.
Match Prediction: Ljubljana (LJU) to progress to the second qualifier with a comfortable win.
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1ST QUALIFIER - MATCH 22 (ECS21.769)
BELGRADE (BEL) v ZAGREB SOKOL (ZAS)
0830 GMT | 1030 CET | 1400 IST
BEL Last Five Matches: W W W W W (Avg Score For 120, Avg Score Against 78)
ZAS Last Five Matches: W W W W W (Avg Score For 116, Avg Score Against 87)
BELGRADE (BEL)
Captain: Robin Vitas
Wicketkeeper: Adrian Dunbar
Projected Top Four: Adrian Dunbar, Wintley Burton, Alex Dizija, Robin Vitas
Projected Opening Bowlers: Vukasin Zimonjic, Alister Gajic
Spin Options: Mark Pavlovic, Michael Dorgan, Slobodan Tosic
BELGRADE Key Players:
Wintley Burton, star all-rounder from Antigua, can hit sixes effortlessly and equally good with the ball with his medium pacers. Second highest scorer for BEL amassing 222 runs in seven innings, including a well compiled 64 off 32 balls vs LJU.
Adrian Dunbar, T20I world record-holder, hit a remarkable 104* to claim the record of highest score by a debutant in Serbia's first ever T20I match. The wicket-keeper batter hasn’t enjoyed much success in the ECS scoring 79 runs in seven innings. He will be keen to score some runs on FInals Day.
Gaurav Chopra, all-rounder, top wicket taker for BEL picking up SIX wickets with a best return of 3-6. He has also scored 25 runs in the only game he batted.
Alexander Dizija, the top order batter has looked solid, top scoring in the tournament with 311 runs in seven innings at an average of over 92 including two fifty plus scores.
ZAGREB SOKOL (ZAS)
Captain: Daniel Lazarides
Wicketkeeper: Mark Davies
Projected Top Four: Daniel Lazarides, Jai Thakur, Aman Maheshwari, Peter Amaan
Projected Opening Bowlers: Peter Amaan, MD Shaikat
Spin Options: Daniel Lazarides
ZAGREB SOKOL Key Players:
Daniel Lazarides, star all-rounder, Premier League player in the UK, the opener provides brisk starts for his side and is crucial with the ball in the middle overs with his left arm spin. Second highest scorer in the tournament muscling 256 runs in seven innings including THREE fifties.
Aman Maheshwari, tall right arm fast bowler and a fine hitter. Has picked up THREE wickets and also plundered 73 runs at a SR of over 208.
Peter Amaan, power hitter, can provide the finishing touches to ZAS innings from the middle order. Second highest scorer for ZAS racking up 130 runs in six innings. The all-rounder is also leading the wickets column scalping 10 wickets including a tournament best figures of 5-16 vs BEL.
Arpit Shukla, right arm medium pacer, returned player of the match figures of 3-5 against SIB on Tuesday. He is the second highest wicket taker for ZAS scalping SEVEN victims at a miser ER of 4.83
Suresh Shanmugam, the right arm medium pacer has impressed with his consistent line and lengths. He has picked up SIX wickets in eight overs at an economy rate of just 5.75.
The top two sides in the competition lock horns for a place directly into the Final. Both BEL and ZAS shared the spoils in the group stages and will be keen to win this all important first qualifier to avoid an extra game.
Match Prediction: Belgrade (BEL) to extend their winning streak to eight with a close win.
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FINAL - MATCH 24 (ECS21.771)
TBC v TBC
1400 GMT | 1600 CET | 1930 IST
STAY TUNED...
