European Cricket Network live broadcasts four T10 matches on Day 1 of the 2021 FanCode ECS Romania on Monday 12 July.
ACCB (Asian Cricket Club Bucharest) played as ICC (Indian CC) Bucharest last season, winning the 2020 European Cricket Series Romania and will be keen to hold onto their title.
United, runners-up last term, will be led by Romania skipper Ramesh Satheesan and are the most successful club in the history of Romanian cricket.
Baneasa also featured last term and will be seeking an improvement in their fortunes when finishing rock bottom of the group standings.
Cluj are no strangers to European Cricket, Romania’s champion team back when it all started at ECL19.
And last but certainly not least, led by Romania stalwart Cosmin Zăvoiu, Bucharest Gladiators will also feature one of Europe’s most well-known players, the man, the myth Pavel Florin.
Teams
ACCB ACCB (ACCB) (0-0, NRR+0.000)
BAN Baneasa (0-0, NRR+0.000)
BUG Bucharest Gladiators (BUG) (0-0, NRR+0.000)
CLJ Cluj (CLJ) (0-0, NRR+0.000)
UNI United (UNI) (0-0, NRR+0.000)
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MATCH 1 (ECS21.532)
UNITED (UNI) v BUCHAREST GLADIATORS (BUG)
0600 GMT | 0800 CEST | 1130 IST
MATCH 2 (ECS21.533)
UNITED (UNI) v BUCHAREST GLADIATORS (BUG)
0800 GMT | 1000 CEST | 1330 IST
UNI Last Five Matches: W W L W L (Avg Score For 127, Avg Score Against 131)
BUG Last Five Matches: ON ECS DEBUT
UNITED (UNI)
Captain: Ramesh Satheesan
Wicketkeeper: Rohit Kumar
Projected Top Four: Ramesh Satheesan, Rohit Kumar, Shantanu Vashisht, Ali Hussain
Projected Opening Bowlers: Shantanu Vashisht, Rajesh Kumar
Spin Options: Syed Ali Zain, Ali Hussain, Ramesh Satheesan
UNITED Key Players:
Ramesh Satheesan, the hard hitting opening batsman mustered 158 runs at a SR of 208 last summer and picked up SIX wickets. He recently broke Yuvraj Singh’s T20 International record of highest strike rate in an innings for a 50+ score.
Rajesh Kumar, one of top five bowlers in Romania. A genuine wicket taker, who can swing the new ball both ways and is excellent in the death overs with yorkers and slower balls. Scored 97 runs in four innings last summer and picked up FIVE wickets as well.
Aftab Kayani has been bowling well recently which got him a place in the national side, is in good wicket taking form, reliable death over bowler. He is committed in the field and has taken some excellent catches off late.
Shantanu Vashisht, one of the best bowlers in Romania. Generally economical, doesn’t always get a flurry of wickets, but often gets the best bats out. He will bat in the top four, is good at rotating strike and is an excellent fielder. Scored 74 runs and picked up a couple of wickets last term.
BUCHAREST GLADIATORS (BUG)
Captain: Cosmin Zăvoiu
Wicketkeeper: Imran Haider
Projected Top Four: Moiz Muhammad, Patras Masih, Imran Haider, Shalitha Prabath
Projected Opening Bowlers: Moiz Muhammad, Patras Masih
Spin Options: Pavel Florin, Cosmin Zăvoiu, Esanka Rumesh Priyadharshana, Regan Francis
BUCHAREST GLADIATORS Key Players:
Moiz Muhammad, played for United last term, he is one of the most electrifying opening batsman in Romania, was top scorer for UNI hammering 170 runs at a staggering strike rate of 274! The big hitting opener will be key for debutants BUG.
Pavel Florin, the Romanian superstar has the third best strike rate in international cricket for bowlers with at least 10 wickets, picking up 13 wickets in 19.3 overs. He was also the leading wicket taker for Romania in the recently concluded Sofia Twenty20 picking up seven wickets.
Imran Haider, one of the most senior cricketers in Romania with a brilliant cricketing mind, represented United last term scoring over 50 runs. His previous ECS experience will come in handy for newcomers BUG.
Patras Masih, a classy right handed middle order batsman, loves playing through the covers, is a fine pacer with a natural ability to swing the ball.
Cosmin Zăvoiu, captain and current national team member, played for United last term and will be looking to bring his experience into play for his new club where he is also the President. He is a decent batsman and holds the second best strike rate in an innings in international cricket when he picked up three wickets in an over against Turkey.
United will be strong favourites against newcomers Bucharest Gladiators, who include Romanian legend Pavel Florin. UNI finished runners-up last term and will be aiming to go one better this time around. These two encounters are hotly-anticipated and all the more spicy as United have lost a few key players to opponents BUG.
Match Prediction: United (UNI) to win the opening two contests with the first game being the closest of the two finishes.
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MATCH 3 (ECS21.534)
ACCB (ACCB) v BANEASA (BAN)
1000 GMT | 1200 CEST | 1530 IST
MATCH 4 (ECS21.535)
ACCB (ACCB) v BANEASA (BAN)
1200 GMT | 1400 CEST | 1730 IST
ACCB Last Five Matches: L W W W (Avg Score For 141, Avg Score Against 122)
BAN Last Five Matches: L L L (Avg Score For 105, Avg Score Against 114)
ACCB (ACCB)
Captain: Sukhbinder Singh
Wicketkeeper: Asad Abbas
Projected Top Four: Gohar Manan, Anandha Karthikeyan, Abdul Asif, Asad Abbas
Projected Opening Bowlers: Sami Ullah, Sukhbinder Singh
Spin Options: Sukhbinder Singh
ACCB Key Players:
Gohar Manan, top scorer in the previous edition mustering 251 runs at a strike rate of 278! The opener also scored a brilliant 110* off just 35 balls vs CLJ. Until recently he held the record for quickest ECS century. He can also boast an international hundred in T20Is and is a key member of the current national side.
Abdul Asif was second highest run scorer for ACCB last term with 82 runs from four innings. He also played a match winning knock of 70* off 24 balls against Baneasa.
Sami Ullah, right arm medium pacer, national team member, scalped SEVEN wickets in four games last summer with a best return of 3-23.
Sukhbinder Singh, captain, right arm off-spinner, impressed last term picking up FIVE wickets in four games at an ER of 9.71 - least among his teammates.
BANEASA (BAN)
Captain: Abdul Shakoor
Wicketkeeper: Sheriyar Sohail
Projected Top Four: Abdul Shakoor, Sheriyar Sohail, Mahesh Prasanna, Adnan Hanif
Projected Opening Bowlers: Ijaz Hussain, Waqar Abbasi
Spin Options: Mahesh Prasanna, Wasif Sharif
BANEASA Key Players:
Sheriyar Sohail, left hand opening batsman and wicket-keeper, making his ECS debut, would be eager to perform on the grand stage of European Cricket. He loves playing cover drives.
Waqar Abbasi, right hand fast bowler and lower order batsman, capable of hitting long balls, finished top scorer for BAN with 60 runs and scalped two wickets in three games last year.
Abdul Shakoor, right handed middle order batsman, second highest run scorer for BAN last term racking up 56 runs in three games at a good strike rate of 193. Vice captain of the national side.
ACCB enjoyed a tremendous season in Romania winning the treble, including the inaugural ECS. ACCB will be strong favourites against Baneasa who went winless and finished bottom of the standings last year. Baneasa will be keen to show better form than last season having added some faces to their ranks.
Last time they met: ACCB 112(8) def BAN 106 (13 Sep 2020)
Match Prediction: ACCB (ACCB) to win both contests at a canter.