BANGALORE VS. PUNJAB: INDIAN T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 48 | PREDICTION, PLAYING 11 AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
Bangalore and Punjab clash in Match 48 of the Indian T20 League 2021 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with Punjab aiming to take a big step toward the play-offs by completing the double over Virat Kohli’s side.
Bangalore started the second phase of the competition with two heavy defeats against Kolkata and Chennai, but consecutive victories against Mumbai and Rajasthan have lifted them clear of the chasing pack in 3rd place. They currently have 14 points after 11 games, and one more victory should be enough to confirm a play-off spot.
Punjab, who haven’t been part of the play-off picture since 2014, kept their season alive with a nail-biting victory over Kolkata in their previous game, but have no margin for error going into this one. They will likely have to win both their remaining matches to be part of the play-off equation. They currently sit in 5th place, with 10 points from their 12 games. With Kolkata, Mumbai and even Rajasthan all in the mix for that fourth place, Punjab can’t afford a slip-up.
Match Details
- Game: Bangalore vs. Punjab, Match 48
- Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
- Date & Time: Oct. 3, 2021, at 3:30 PM IST/2 PM Local
Probable Playing XI:
Bangalore
Virat Kohli (C), Devdutt Padikkal, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Srikar Bharat (WK), Dan Christian, Harshal Patel, George Garton, Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj
Punjab
KL Rahul (C & WK), Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Fabian Allen, Nathan Ellis, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh
Weather Report
It will be a baking-hot afternoon in Sharjah, with temperatures hovering around 38 degrees, though there is also expected to be a bit of cloud cover.
Pitch Report
The pitches in Sharjah have offered plenty of encouragement to bowlers so far this season. Only Bangalore have crossed 150 while batting first, and 3 of the 4 matches played there so far have been won by the chasing side.
Toss
The teams batting second have enjoyed more success till now in 2021, though Punjab did manage to defend a low total against Hyderabad here. Any total around 150 should be a competitive one on this surface.
Top Fantasy Picks
Wicketkeeper
- KL Rahul made a 57-ball 91* when these two teams met earlier in the season. He is the leading run scorer in the competition, with 489 runs. The half century against Kolkata was his 5th of the season. A relatively low-scoring game will be the perfect platform for him to embarrass his former Bangalore teammates.
Batters
- Virat Kohli has made 332 runs this season, without looking anywhere close to his best. However, his 2 consecutive half centuries since the league resumed in the UAE hint at better things to come. The calculated assault that he’s famed for should seal a play-off spot for his team.
- Mayank Agarwal is another player with a point to prove against a Bangalore team that he was once part of, and he currently sits 6th in the run charts with 372 runs this season. His partnerships with Rahul have kept the side afloat this campaign.
All-Rounder
- Glenn Maxwell already has 350 runs for the season, his best return in the Indian T20 League since he was adjudged the Most Valuable Player in 2014. Add to that his 3 wickets with some tidy off-spin and brilliant fielding, and it’s not hard to see why Bangalore view him as an auction risk worth having taken.
Bowlers
- Harshal Patel started the season with 5-27 against Mumbai, and hasn’t stopped taking wickets since. Having already picked up 26 wickets for the season, he’s almost certain to win the Purple Cap. Don’t be fooled by the economy rate of 8.57, because he invariably bowls the toughest overs.
- Mohammed Shami has taken 15 wickets this season and consistently provided breakthroughs for his side. His face-off with Kohli, his India captain, may just have a huge bearing on the result of this match.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeepers: KL Rahul, AB de Villiers
- Batters: V Kohli, M Agarwal, G Maxwell
- All-rounder: S Ahmed
- Bowlers: M Shami, Y Chahal, R Bishnoi, H Patel, A Singh
- Captain: KL Rahul/V Kohli
- Vice Captain: H Patel/M Agarwal
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play all the fantasy cricket matches from the Indian T20 League. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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