QUALIFIER 1 - MATCH 22 (ECS21.505) BUDAPEST BLINDERS (BUB) v ROYAL TIGERS (ROT) 0900 GMT | 1100 CET | 1430 IST
BUB Last Five Matches: W L W L W (Avg Score For 119, Avg Score Against 98)
ROT Last Five Matches: W W L W L (Avg Score For 110, Avg Score Against 107)
Captain: Steffan Gooch
Wicketkeeper: Maaz Bhaiji
Projected Top Four: Abbas Ghani, Mahela Daub, Ali Farasat, Maaz Bhaiji
Projected Opening Bowlers: Sandeep Mohandas, Salman Khan
Spin Options: Danyal Akbar
BUDAPEST BLINDERS Key Players:
Abbas Ghani, the hard-hitting opener is the highest run scorer for BUB with 156 runs, scoring more than 83% of his runs boundaries. He has also picked up EIGHT wickets.
Ali Farasat has mustered 151 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 191, scored a match winning knock of 63 off 31 balls vs UCB on Tuesday.
Salman Khan, the 22-year old left arm fast bowler has been in tremendous form with the ball picking up SEVEN wickets for BUB.
Maaz Bhaiji, the wicket-keeper batsman has shown he is capable of hitting long balls. He has amassed 125 runs in six innings including 10 maximos.
Captain: Marc Ahuja
Wicketkeeper: Stan Ahuja
Projected Top Four: Marc Ahuja, Zeeshan Khan, Stan Ahuja, Harsh Mandhyan
Projected Opening Bowlers: Abhishek Kheterpal, Harsh Mandhyan
Spin Options: Harsh Mandhyan, Stan Ahuja
ROYAL TIGERS Key Players:
Zeeshan Khan, MVP last summer, arguably the best batsman in Hungary and his attacking approach really suits the T10 format. Mustered 208 runs in eight matches including a blistering 35-ball 81* and was awarded man of the match for his efforts. Has been good with the ball as well picking up five wickets. Has mullered the joint most sixes in the tournament - 24.
Stan Ahuja, the right hander has remained not not in four of his eight innings, amassing a total of 173 runs at an average of 43.25.He is the second highest run getter for ROT in the tournament.
Khaibar Deldar, hard-hitting top order batsman who gives it a whack from ball one. Has racked up 159 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 177 this time around.
Abhishek Kheterpal, the right arm fast bowler is the highest wicket taker in the tournament with 12 scalps to his name at an economy rate of 7.76 including a best return of 3-2. Has also mustered 75 runs.
Vigneshwaran Jayaraman, the 25-year old pacer returned match winning figures of 4-8 against BLB. Joint second highest wicket taker for ROT with EIGHT wickets to his name.
The leading two in the standings meet in the first qualifier. Reigning champions Royal Tigers have not always looked totally convincing, finishing behind Budapest Blinders on NRR. BUB skipper Steffan Gooch hasn’t fired this season so far, but will be especially motivated against his former club at crunch time.
Last time they met: ECS21.499 | BUB 131 def ROT 80 (1 Jul 2021)
Match Prediction: These two sides shared a win a piece on Thursday and this qualifier could go either way. Again the preference is given to the side batting first, under the proviso a target of around 110+ can be set.
