ACCB Last Five Matches: W W L L W (Avg Score For 138, Avg Score Against 113)
CLJ Last Five Matches: L W W W W (Avg Score For 134, Avg Score Against 114)
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
ACCBKey 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 also held the record for quickest ECS century. He can boast an international hundred in T20Is and is a key member of the national side. Started off this campaign with a magnificent 112* off 37 balls. Top scorer with 214 runs in five matches.
Abdul Asif, second highest run scorer for ACCB last term with 82 runs from four innings. Opened 2021 in style with a blistering 19-ball 79* and also picked up FOUR wickets in two games on Monday. Third highest run scorer with 176 runs in five innings.
Saeed Ullah had a disappointing last season picking up just two wickets, but has turned things around this time leading the wickets column for ACCB with SEVEN scalps from six games.
Sami Ullah, right arm medium pacer, national team member, scalped SEVEN wickets in four games last summer with a best return of 3-23. Has scalped FIVE wickets so far.
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. Scalped FIVE wickets already this term and is second leading wicket taker for ACCB.
Captain: Arun Kumar
Wicketkeeper: Satwik Nadigotla
Projected Top Four: Taranjeet Singh, Satwik Nadigotla, Sivakumar Periyalwar, Vasu Saini
Projected Opening Bowlers: Gaurav Mishra, Nishant Devre
Spin Options: Sukhkaran Sahi, Taranjeet Singh
CLUJ Key Players:
Taranjeet Singh, all-time leading run scorer for CLJ, plundered 181 runs at a strike rate of 307 last term. He mustered 22 sixes - the second most in the tournament. Led the wickets column for CLJ with SIX wickets. Mustered 214 runs in four games at an SR of 273 and picked up FIVE wickets as well.
Vasu Saini, current member of the national team, racked up 105 runs in four innings last term at an average of 105 and strike rate of 178. The all-rounder also scalped FIVE wickets. Scalped FIVE wickets and scored 21 runs this time around.
Sivakumar Periyalwar, another current member of the national team, endured an ordinary campaign last season scoring 62 runs in four matches. The right-hander will be looking to turn things around this time. Played a nice little cameo of 14 off five balls on Tuesday. Would be looking to play a big knock.
Satwik Nadigotla, the wicket-keeper batsman is making his ECS debut for Cluj, also part of the national squad and featured at ECL19 scoring 43 runs. Has scored 55 runs in three innings and bagged a man of the match award.
It would certainly be no surprise if these two sides met in the final on Saturday. Cluj have been imperious so far winning four out of four, but reigning champs ACCB have lost two of their last three games. ACCB will look to end the group stages strongly and the onus will be on their go-to-man centurion Gohar Manan.
Last time they met: ACCB 140(9) def CLJ 139 (12 Sep 2020)
Match Prediction: Cluj to romp home with a thrilling victory.
Tune into the live action from Romania from Monday to Saturday from 0600 GMT * 0800 CEST * 1130 IST *