2nd SEMI FINAL - MATCH 46 (ECS21.649) ARIANA AKIF (AF) v MALMO (MAL) 0830 GMT | 1030 CET | 1400 IST
AF Last Five Matches: W W W L W (Avg Score For 121, Avg Score Against 82)
MAL Last Five Matches: W W W NR W (Avg Score For 121, Avg Score Against 88)
Captain: Dharmender Singh
Wicketkeeper: Ihsan Shirzad
Projected Top Four: Delawar Khan, Khaled Mohammad, Abdul Naser, Ihsan Shirzad
Projected Opening Bowlers: Delawar Khan, Abdul Naser
Spin Option(s): Anudeep Gudimella, Dharmender Singh, Rahatullah Rahatullah
ARIANA AKIF Key Players:
Ihsan Shirzad, the wicket keeper batsman is the highest scorer for AF amassing 181 runs from nine innings at a SR of 218. He showed a nice array of shots in his match winning knock of 57* off 21 balls vs JKP in the group stage. Has won two man of the match awards for his efforts with the bat so far and will be key for AF in the crucial semi-final against MAL.
Khaled Mohammad, a talented top order batsman, one of the best batsmen in the AF side, joint second highest scorer for AF racking up 123 runs in eight innings.
Dharmender Singh, captain, slow left arm orthodox, scalped 2-10 vs Malmo in the opening match bagging his first man of the match award this season. Joint top wicket taker for AF with SEVEN scalps from nine games.
Delawar Khan, one of the top all-rounders in the AF side. Joint second highest run scorer for AF racking up 123 runs in five innings. He is also the joint leading wicket taker for AF scalping SEVEN wickets at an economy rate of just 4.20!
Abdul Naser, the hard hitting batsman mustered an unbeaten 42 off just 11 balls against ARI to bag his first man of the match award in his very first game of the series. He bagged his second man of the match award in the quarter-final against LND for an impressive bowling figures of 3-6.
Captain: Hammad Rafiq
Wicketkeeper: Nikhil Mathur
Projected Top Four: Sudais Khan, Nikhil Mathur, Hammad Rafiq, Qaiser Munir
Projected Opening Bowlers: Saqlain Shah, Harris Aziz
Spin Option(s): Hammad Rafiq, Musadaq Mubarak
MALMO Key Players:
Hammad Rafiq, star all-rounder, attacking middle order batsman, has the ability to take spinners apart on his day. A wily and reliable off-spinner, he will look to make breakthroughs in the middle overs. The all-rounder is leading the scoring sheets for his side with 164 runs in seven innings and has picked up EIGHT wickets. Plundered five sixes in an over to take his side to a famous win over JKP last week.
Musadaq Mubarak, the all-rounder is having an impressive season racking up 86 runs in seven innings and picking up NINE wickets including a best return of 3-4 vs LAN in the quarter-final.
Nikhil Mathur, the wicket keeper batsman, has looked in tremendous touch mustering 94 runs in five games at a strike rate of 181 and is third highest run scorer for his side.
Sunny Sharma, the right handed opening batsman has racked up 97 runs in eight innings and is the second highest run scorer for Malmo.
Qaiser Munir, right arm fast bowler, usually bowls at the death, targeting the stumps. Is the biggest hitter in the team, can hit monster sixes for fun. Has mustered 66 runs and scalped NINE wickets in nine games including 2-10 vs LAN in the quarter-final.
Ariana AKIF topped Group A with seven wins out of eight. The reigning champs cruised past Lund in the third quarter-final with four overs to spare.
Much-improved Malmo lost their first four games, but bounced back strongly and are on a roll, skittling the hosts Landskrona for only 52 in the second quarter-final, chasing down the target in only 3.3 overs.
Ariana AKIF hold the wood over Malmo winning both their group stage matches and will be confident of progressing through to the final while MAL would look to avenge the two losses in this all-important semi-final clash.
Last time they met: ECS21.605 | AF 109 def MAL 60 (2 Aug 2021)
Match Prediction: Ariana AKIF (AF) to secure a spot in the final with a thrilling win over Malmo.
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