3rd Quarter Final - MATCH 43 (ECS21.478) SUPER KINGS (SKI) v SOUTHERN CRUSADERS (SOC) 1100 GMT | 1300 CET | 1630 IST
SKI Last Five Matches: W W W W W (Avg Score For 118, Avg Score Against 72)
SOC Last Five Matches: L W W W L (Avg Score For 94, Avg Score Against 80)
Captain: Bikram Arora
Wicketkeeper: Affy Khan
Projected Top Four: Gopal Chaturvedi, Affy Khan, Varun Prasath, Bikram Arora
Projected Opening Bowlers: Ashok Bishnoi, Varun Prasath
Spin Options: Amar Sharma, Bikram Arora
SUPER KINGS Key Players:
Affy Khan, big hitter, can take the game away from the opposition in the blink of an eye, scored his maiden ECS fifty against Gozo hammering an unbeaten 24-ball 79. He is third highest scorer in the tournament with 183 runs at a staggering strike rate of 261.
Varun Prasath, the left-hander is leading the scoring sheets this season, plundering 290 runs from eight games at a strike rate of 203. He also has the highest individual score of the tournament - a blistering 39-ball 98* vs Overseas. Has also hit the most sixes in the tournament with 28 hits over the ropes.
Bikram Arora, SKI and Malta national team captain, has racked up 143 runs from six matches including a 21-ball 55 in the record breaking match against Gozo.
Ashok Bishnoi, leads the bowling attack for SKI, swings the ball away from right handers at pace, is the top wicket taker so far scalping 11 wickets from six matches. Returned second best figures in ECS history, 6-3, against Gozo earning a man of the match award as well.
Yash Singh brings a lot of value to the SKI side with his clever spin bowling. He has picked up 10 wickets in seven matches at a splendid economy rate of just 6.24.
Captain: Michael Goonetilleke
Wicketkeeper: Gopal Thakur
Projected Top Four: Ryan Bastiansz, Michael Goonetilleke, Zeeshan Yousaf, Gopal Thakur
Projected Opening Bowlers: Zeeshan Yousaf, Lakshitha Senavirathna
Spin Options: Jojo Thomas, Ryan Bastiansz, Azwan Kamaleen, Eranga Jayawardhana, Aneel Shahid
SOUTHERN CRUSADERS Key Players:
Zeeshan Yousaf, all-rounder, big hitting opener, moves the ball both ways, picked up eight wickets leading the wicket taking charts and piled up 150 runs in the previous edition, is a good outfielder too. Has played good hands in all the games scoring 93 runs in all and has picked up five wickets as well.
Ryan Ricky Bastiansz, scores quickly, is good off the back foot, mustered 175 runs including 15 towering sixes in the previous edition. He is currently leading the scoring sheets for SOC racking up 135 runs from seven innings.
Bilal Khan is one of the fastest bowlers in Malta with the ability to move the ball both ways, has been economical with ball getting three prized wickets so far, can also contribute with his pinch hitting abilities, has mustered 58 runs.
Jojo Thomas, right arm finger spinner, joint leading wicket taker scalping eight wickets in December 2020. Picked up 11 wickets in eight games this season leading the wicket taking sheets for SOC with a best return of 3-4.
Lakshitha Senavirathna, the right arm medium pacer has picked up eight wickets this season including his best ECS figures of 4-24 against Marsa.
Unbeaten Super Kings meet inconsistent Southern Crusaders in the third quarter-final. While SOC are capable of beating any team on their day, it seems a monumental task to get past this in-form SKI side.
Match Prediction: Super Kings (SKI) to saunter past SOC into the last four.
