European Cricket Network live broadcasts four T10 matches on Day 1 of the 2021 FanCode ECS Germany Kiel on Monday 31 May.
FanCode ECS Germany Kiel kicks off on Monday with Group A action and an array of exciting talent from Northern Germany busting to showcase their skills on the grand European Cricket stage.
MTV Stallions can boast decent ECS experience and will be the team to beat in Group A. MTV Stallions were losing finalists on home soil at ECN Hannover Hitout and secured Bronze Medal honours at Dream11 European Cricket Series Kummerfeld.
The remaining teams are all making their much-anticipated ECS debut. Proud hosts 1.Kieler HTC have put in an enormous amount of work to stage this tournament and will be joined in Group A by fellow newcomers Moorburger TSV, First Contact and SG Hameln.
1.Kieler HTC will look to reap the benefits of playing on home soil on their brand new pitch and look best equipped of the newcomers to go deeper in the competition.
Group A
KHTC 1.Kieler HTC (0-0, NRR+0.000)
FCT First Contact (0-0, NRR+0.000)
MTSV Moorburger TSV (0-0, NRR+0.000)
MTV MTV Stallions (0-0, NRR+0.000)
SGH SG Hameln (0-0, NRR+0.000)
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MATCH 1 (ECS21.388)
1.KIELER HTC (KHTC) v MOORBURGER TSV (MTSV)
0700 GMT | 0900 CET | 1230 IST
MATCH 2 (ECS21.389)
1.KIELER HTC (KHTC) v MOORBURGER TSV (MTSV)
0900 GMT | 1100 CET | 1430 IST
KHTC Last Five Matches: ON ECS DEBUT
MTSV Last Five Matches: ON ECS DEBUT
1.KIELER HTC (KHTC)
Captain: Azeem Azam
Wicketkeeper: Adnan Nooruddin
Projected Top Four: Chaitanya Pagadapoola, Sadeequllah Shinwari, Madura Ambagahage, Zia Ziaudin
Projected Opening Bowlers: Danish Zahid, Azeem Azam
Spin Options: Muqurrab Zaidi, Shiraz Shah
1.KIELER HTC Key Players:
Sadeequllah Shinwari, aggressive right handed batsman, loves to attack the new ball bowlers, likes playing lofted straight drives and boasts previous ECS experience playing for KSV.
Madura Ambagahage, batting all-rounder, key man for KHTC in the middle order, doesn't shy away from taking responsibilities with the ball in tough situations and could prove a match winner for KHTC.
Azeem Azam, captain, all-rounder, leads the bowling attack, capable of hitting big shots in the middle overs, likes playing the pull shot.
Shiraz Shah, a leg-spinner who can be a game changer for KHTC, likes bowling in challenging conditions and has different variations in his armoury.
MOORBURGER TSV (MTSV)
Captain: Sachin Tawde
Wicketkeeper: Abhishek Chandrashekar
Projected Top Four: Deepak Prakash, Faizan Farooq, Aditya Gopinath, Abhishek Chandrashekar
Projected Opening Bowlers: Shardul Joshi, Imran Tariq
Spin Options: Aditya Gopinath, Arun Prakash, Faizan Farooq
MOORBURGER TSV Key Players:
Aditya Gopinath, a solid top order batsman with good technique, and is an equally talented leg-spinner.
Faizan Farooq will normally open the batting for MTSV and will be keen to provide quick starts. He is also a part-time off-break bowler.
Azizgul Khalil, young talented bowling all-rounder, bowls with good pace and can swing the ball both ways, also capable of scoring quick runs in the middle order.
Samjit Chandran, right arm medium pace bowler, generally a middle over enforcer but is adaptable enough to bowl with the new ball and at the death as well.
Moorburger TSV and hosts 1.Kieler HTC make their ECS debut with the opening double header on Monday. The two teams will be keen on winning the first game to gain some psychological advantage for the second. KHTC will start favourites playing on home soil.
Match Prediction: Both 1.Kieler HTC and Moorburger TSV to share a win apiece on debut.
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MATCH 3 (ECS21.390)
FIRST CONTACT (FCT) v MTV STALLIONS (MTV)
1100 GMT | 1300 CET | 1630 IST
MATCH 4 (ECS21.391)
FIRST CONTACT (FCT) v MTV STALLIONS (MTV)
1300 GMT | 1500 CET | 1830 IST
FCT Last Five Matches: ON ECS DEBUT
MTV Last Five Matches: W W L L W (Avg Score For 108, Avg Score Against 102)
FIRST CONTACT (FCT)
Captain: Mohamad Sharif Safi
Wicketkeeper: Mohammad Akbar Jabarkhel
Projected Top Four: Mohammad Akbar Jabarkhel, Imran Khan Hassan, Zakirullah Zakhil, Salman Haider
Projected Opening Bowlers: Mohamad Sharif Safi, Abdulrahman Amarkhail
Spin Options: Salman Haider, Nassrullah Amla
FIRST CONTACT Key Players:
Mohammad Akbar Jabarkhel, wicket-keeper batsman, all-time leading run scorer for the club, will open the innings for FCT, loves playing the cover drive.
Imran Khan Hassan, hard hitting opening batsman, FCT will rely on him to provide brisk starts.
Mohamad Sharif Safi, captain, right arm fast bowler and all-time top wicket taker for FCT, will spearhead the bowling attack.
Salman Haider, leading all-rounder, will contribute with bat and his canny leg breaks are to be respected.
MTV STALLIONS (MTV)
Captain: Gaurav Singh Rathore
Wicketkeeper: Sachin Mandy
Projected Top Four: Basit Orya, Prashanth Potharlanka, Sachin Mandy, Gaurav Singh Rathore
Projected Opening Bowlers: Ujwal Gadiraju, Mohammad Faruq Arabzai
Spin Options: Asghar Amarkhil, Gaurav Singh Rathore, Prashanth Potharlanka
MTV STALLIONS Key Players:
Basit Orya, a swashbuckling opening batsman who loves throwing caution to the wind. He is every bowler's nightmare when on song, mustered 117 runs at a strike rate of 195 and picked up six wickets at ECS Kummerfeld. He also has a mean inswinger that readily swallows toes or timber!
Mohammad Faruq Arabzai, talented all-rounder, clocks good speeds while bowling and drives the ball exquisitely, was leading run scorer for Stallions at ECS Kummerfeld racking up 122 runs from six innings. He also scalped seven wickets with the ball.
Ujwal Gadiraju, leads the Stallion's bowling attack, swings the ball both ways making batsmen look silly, has a good slower ball and can hit some lusty blows down the order, picked up seven wickets at ECS Kummerfeld with a best return of 4-17.
Asghar Amarkhil is the youngest MTV player and has already represented Germany U19s. Loves to spin his web around batsmen. A livewire in the field and always in the game.
First Contact make their ECS debut against a strong and experienced MTV Stallions side. With nothing to lose, FCT will be looking to spring a surprise while the Stallions will be aiming to make a fast start.
Match Prediction: MTV Stallions (MTV) to walk away with twin wins.