The second day of the FanCode ECS Spain Barcelona sees three Catalonian teams make their hotly-anticipated debuts on the grand stage of European Cricket.
Group B
PIC Pak I Care
HIS Hira Sabadell
RIW Ripoll Warriors
BAR Barna Royals
PAK Pakcelona
CLI City Lions
__________________
MATCH 6 (ECS21.006)
PAKCELONA (PAK) v PAK I CARE (PIC)
0730 GMT | 0830 CET | 1300 IST
PAK Last Five Matches: LLWLL (Avg Score For 94, Avg Score Against 111)
PIC Last Five Matches: WLWLW (Avg Score For 130, Avg Score Against 121)
PAKCELONA (PAK)
Captain: Raja Khaliq
Wicketkeeper: Shahid Iqbal
Projected Top Four: Ishtiaq Nazir, Shahzad Khan, Shahid Iqbal, Waqas Shahzad
Projected Opening Bowlers: Shahzad Khan, Salim Haider
Spin Options: Raja Khaliq
PAKCELONA Key Players:
Ishtiaq Nazir, a genuine all-rounder, leading run-getter for his side in ECS Barcelona 2020 with 160 runs, including a 28-ball 53.
Khuram Javeed, a wily medium pace bowler with a knack of picking up wickets. He is a handy middle-order batsman too!
Shahzad Khan, all-rounder, leading wicket-taker for Pakcelona at ECS Barcelona 2020 with 9 scalps from 7 games. Also scored 99 runs.
PAK I CARE (PIC)
Captain: Muhammad Babar
Wicketkeeper: Muhammad Ihsan
Projected Top Four: Muhammad Babar, Muhammad Ihsan, Muhammad Jafri, Muhammad Yasin
Projected Opening Bowlers: Muhammad Kamran, Muhammad Jafri
Spin Options: Sikandar Ali, Adeel Shafqat
PAK I CARE Key Players:
Muhammad Ihsan, star wicket-keeper batsman, leading run-scorer in the ECS Barcelona November 2020, racking up 376 runs at an average of over 75.
Sikandar Ali picked up 13 wickets at an economy rate of under 8 and mustered 127 runs at a strike rate of 240 at the ECS Barcelona November 2020.
Muhammad Kamran is a RHB and a tall left arm pacer who loves to bowl bouncers. He scored 191 runs at strike rate of close to 195 and picked up 6 wickets at ECS Barcelona, November 2020.
Muhammad Atif, tall fast bowler, scalped 21 wickets in his last 16 ECS appearances.
Two teams mainly consisting of players from Pakistan meet for the first time on the ECS stage. An intense rivalry exists. Who can gain bragging rights?
Match Prediction: PAK I CARE (PIC) to win a close contest.
__________________
MATCH 7 (ECS21.007)
PAK I CARE (PIC) v HIRA SABADELL (HIS)
0930 GMT | 1030 CET | 1500 IST
PIC Last Five Matches: WLWLW (Avg Score For 130, Avg Score Against 121)
HIS Last Five Matches: LWLLL (Avg Score For 79, Avg Score Against 102)
PAK I CARE (PIC)
Captain: Muhammad Babar
Wicketkeeper: Muhammad Ihsan
Projected Top Four: Muhammad Babar, Muhammad Ihsan, Muhammad Jafri, Muhammad Yasin
Projected Opening Bowlers: Muhammad Kamran, Muhammad Jafri
Spin Options: Sikandar Ali, Adeel Shafqat
PAK I CARE Key Players:
Muhammad Ihsan, star wicket-keeper batsman, leading run-scorer in the ECS Barcelona November 2020, racking up 376 runs at an average of over 75.
Sikandar Ali picked up 13 wickets at an economy rate of under 8 and mustered 127 runs at a strike rate of 240 at the ECS Barcelona November 2020.
Muhammad Jafri took ECL19 by storm when he scored 137 runs in just three games at a strike rate of over 290 for Italian representatives Janjua Brescia.
Muhammad Atif, tall fast bowler, scalped 21 wickets in his last 16 ECS appearances.
HIRA SABADELL (HIS)
Captain: Shanawar Shahzad
Wicketkeeper: Sharanjit Singh
Projected Top Four: Shanawar Shahzad, Bakhtiar Khalid, Heera Lal, Anwar Ul Haq
Projected Opening Bowlers: Adnan Abbas, Anwaar Ul Haq
Spin Options: Shanawar Shahzad, Mehmood Akhtar
HIRA SABADELL Key Players:
Bakhtiar Khalid leading run-scorer (157) and six-hitter (12) for Hira at ECS Barcelona 2020.
Alumdar Hussain played for Gracia at ECS Barcelona 2020, scoring 126 runs including a 25-ball 59. He will have the responsibility of providing much needed impetus in the middle overs.
Shanawar Shahzad, captain, leading wicket-taker for his side grabbing 7 wickets from 7 matches.
Hira Sabadell will square off against a strong looking Pak I Care side in their opening match of the season. Having won just a solitary game in their last five outings, HIS will have to perform out of their skins to beat their powerful opponents.
Match Prediction: PAK I CARE (PIC) to win comfortably.
__________________
MATCH 8 (ECS21.008)
RIPOLL WARRIORS (RIW) v PAKCELONA (PAK)
1130 GMT | 1230 CET | 1700 IST
RIW Last Five Matches: ON ECS DEBUT
PAK Last Five Matches: LLWLL (Avg Score For 94, Avg Score Against 111)
RIPOLL WARRIORS (RIW)
Captain: Waqar Iqbal
Wicketkeeper: Waqar Iqbal
Projected Top Four: Prince Dhiman, Waqar Iqbal, Asim Maqbool, Ehsan Elahi
Projected Opening Bowlers: Muhammad Nazim, Aqtadar Iqbal
Spin Options: Ehsan Elahi, Jagbeer Singh
RIPOLL WARRIORS Key Players:
Prince Dhiman the stylish right-hander has piled up 244 runs from 6 matches at a strike rate of 188 across all ECS Barcelona editions in 2020.
Mohsin Ali has 260 runs to his name at a strike rate of 188 across all ECS Barcelona editions. He has also mullered 27 sixes, meaning over 62 percent of his runs have come just in sixes.
Waqar Iqbal, captain, wicketkeeper and hard-hitting opening batsman who likes to deal exclusively in fours and sixes.
PAKCELONA (PAK)
Captain: Raja Khaliq
Wicketkeeper: Shahid Iqbal
Projected Top Four: Ishtiaq Nazir, Shahzad Khan, Shahid Iqbal, Waqas Shahzad
Projected Opening Bowlers: Shahzad Khan, Salim Haider
Spin Options: Raja Khaliq
PAKCELONA Key Players:
Ishtiaq Nazir, a genuine all-rounder, leading run-getter for his side in ECS Barcelona 2020 with 160 runs, including a 28-ball 53.
Khuram Javeed, a wily medium pace bowler with a knack of picking up wickets. He is a handy middle-order batsman too!
Shahzad Khan, all-rounder, leading wicket-taker for Pakcelona at ECS Barcelona 2020 with 9 scalps from 7 games. Also scored 99 runs.
Although Ripoll Warriors will be playing their first ECS match, the inclusion of Pak Montcada players Prince Dhiman and Mohsin Ali have seriously strengthened their side. Both Ripoll Warriors and Pakcelona would appear evenly matched on paper. This promises to be a very interesting contest.
Match Prediction: Too close to call
__________________
MATCH 9 (ECS21.009)
HIRA SABADELL (HIS) v RIPOLL WARRIORS (RIW)
1330 GMT | 1430 CET | 1900 IST
HIS Last Five Matches: LWLLL (Avg Score For 79, Avg Score Against 102)
RIW Last Five Matches: First match result not known
HIRA SABADELL (HIS)
Captain: Shanawar Shahzad
Wicketkeeper: Sharanjit Singh
Projected Top Four: Shanawar Shahzad, Bakhtiar Khalid, Heera Lal, Anwar Ul Haq
Projected Opening Bowlers: Adnan Abbas, Anwaar Ul Haq
Spin Options: Shanawar Shahzad, Mehmood Akhtar
HIRA SABADELL Key Players:
Bakhtiar Khalid leading run-scorer (157) and six-hitter (12) for Hira at ECS Barcelona 2020.
Alumdar Hussain played for Gracia at ECS Barcelona 2020, scoring 126 runs including a 25-ball 59. He will have the responsibility of providing much needed impetus in the middle overs.
Shanawar Shahzad, captain, leading wicket-taker for his side grabbing 7 wickets from 7 matches.
RIPOLL WARRIORS (RIW)
Captain: Waqar Iqbal
Wicketkeeper: Waqar Iqbal
Projected Top Four: Prince Dhiman, Waqar Iqbal, Asim Maqbool, Ehsan Elahi
Projected Opening Bowlers: Muhammad Nazim, Aqtadar Iqbal
Spin Options: Ehsan Elahi, Jagbeer Singh
RIPOLL WARRIORS Key Players:
Prince Dhiman the stylish right-hander has piled up 244 runs from 6 matches at a strike rate of 188 across all ECS Barcelona editions in 2020.
Mohsin Ali has 260 runs to his name at a strike rate of 188 across all ECS Barcelona editions. He has also mullered 27 sixes, meaning over 62 percent of his runs have come just in sixes.
Waqar Iqbal, captain, wicketkeeper, and hard hitting opening batsman who likes to deal exclusively in fours and sixes.
In the penultimate match of Day 2, Hira Sabadell will take on Ripoll Warriors who will be playing their second consecutive game. HIS will look to capitalize on the fact that their opponents will be tired and get a win against their name.
Match Prediction: RIPOLL WARRIORS (HIS) to win a close contest.
__________________
MATCH 10 (ECS21.010)
BARNA ROYALS (BAR) v CITY LIONS (CLI)
1530 GMT | 1630 CET | 2100 IST
BAR Last Five Matches: ON ECS DEBUT
CLI Last Five Matches: ON ECS DEBUT
BARNA ROYALS (BAR)
Captain: Syed Shafaat Ali
Wicketkeeper: Taqqi ul-Mazhar
Projected Top Four: Usama Shahzad, Syed Gulraiz Hussain, Syed Shafaat Ali, Sharjeel Qaiser
Projected Opening Bowlers: Syed Shafaat Ali, Murad Ali
Spin Options: Moazzam Rafique
BARNA ROYALS Key Players:
Syed Shafaat Ali, hard-hitting Spanish International all-rounder with a total of 263 runs at a strike rate of 199 in 21 ECS matches. He has also picked up five wickets.
Taqqi ul-Mazhar is a prolific six-hitter smashing 14 sixes in just 5 games at his first ECS.
Usama Shahzad, the talented left-hander has racked up 568 runs from 29 matches in club cricket under the Catalan Cricket Federation. He could be the find of the tournament.
CITY LIONS (CLI)
Captain: Amar Shakoor
Wicketkeeper: Kashif Ali
Projected Top Four: Amar Shakoor, Sikandar Raja, Mubashar Ali, Naseer Ahmed
Projected Opening Bowlers: Amar Shakoor, Asim Hussain
Spin Options: Ibrar Hussain
CITY LIONS Key Players:
Ibrar Hussain, talented leg spinner who has grabbed 27 wickets from 21 matches with the best bowling figures of 3-8 against Hira Sabadell.
Nawazish Ali has been consistently among the wickets in all ECS tournaments he has featured in. The fast bowler has 26 scalps from 20 matches.
Amar Shakoor, the City Lions captain will lead his side by example with both bat and bowl.
An interesting encounter awaits between the two debutant teams. Barna Royals seem slightly stronger and better balanced. Both teams would like to start their ECS journey on a winning note.
Match Prediction: BARNA ROYALS (BAR) to win a close contest.
__________________