PAKISTAN VS. AUSTRALIA: T20 WORLD CUP 2021, SEMI-FINAL 2 | PREDICTION, PLAYING 11 AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
Pakistan will take on Australia in the 2nd semi-final of the 2021 T20 World Cup at Dubai International Stadium on Thursday evening.
Pakistan come into the knockout stages as the only unbeaten team remaining in this World Cup. They have kept the same playing 11 in all their five matches and considering their current form, they are the favorites to win the title. The team knows the conditions better than any other side and will look to extend their 16-match winning streak in the UAE here.
On the other hand, Australia have blown hot and cold in this World Cup. They finished 2nd in the Group 1 standings with 4 wins, just ahead of South Africa due to a superior net run rate. They registered a comfortable win over the West Indies in their last game, which eventually got them a place in the semi-final.
Match Details
- Game: Pakistan vs. Australia, Semi-final 2
- Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
- Date & Time: Nov. 11, 2021, at 7:30 PM IST/6 PM Local
Probable Playing XI
Pakistan
Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Babar Azam (C), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
Australia
Aaron Finch (C), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (WK), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Weather Report
The weather in Dubai is predicted to be a little cooler, with the temperature expected to be around 29 degrees during the match.
Pitch Report
Although the pitches in Dubai have traditionally favored pace bowlers, there has been help for the spinners too. Batters have struggled to score against the new ball consistently. Wickets in hand for the second half of the innings might be the way to go here. The average first-innings score in the 11 matches played here this tournament has been 122 runs.
Toss
The team batting second has won 10 of the 11 matches played in the tournament here. The pitch tends to get a little better to bat on as the evening progresses. Since putting a total on the board is proving to be a more difficult task, bowling first is a preferable option. That being said, a target of around 170 runs can be a competitive one in a knockout situation.
Top Fantasy Picks
Wicketkeeper
- Mohammad Rizwan is the leading run scorer in the T20I format this year. He has made 966 runs in 22 matches at a stunning average of 87.81 and a strike rate of 137.02. Rizwan has 214 runs to his name in this tournament at an average of 71.33, including 2 fifties. Expect him to put the Australian bowlers under pressure right from the start.
Batters
- Babar Azam has been the definition of consistency in the T20I format for Pakistan. The Pakistan skipper is the second-highest run scorer in this tournament with 264 runs in five games at an average of 66, including 4 fifties. He likes to play the long innings and set the platform up for the big hitters down the order.
- David Warner has returned to form in this tournament after a bit of a bad patch in recent months. He has scored 187 runs in five innings at an average of 46.75 and a strike rate of 144.96, including 2 half centuries. He scored a brilliant 89* off 56 against the West Indies in the last match.
All-rounder
- Mitchell Marsh showed some good form in the previous game with a brilliant fifty against the West Indies. He scored 53 runs from 32 balls, hitting 5 fours and 2 sixes. Marsh is the leading run scorer for Australia this year in the T20Is, with 522 runs in 19 matches at an average of 32.62 and strike rate of 127.
Bowlers
- Shaheen Afridi is amongst the best T20 bowlers in the world. Although his form has tailed off since the match-defining spell of 3/31 against India, he remains a big wicket-taking option for Pakistan with the new ball. Shaheen has taken 6 wickets in five matches at an average of 22.33 and an economy rate of 6.70.
- Josh Hazlewood has been impressive in the T20 format this year. He has taken 20 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 15.55 and an economy rate of 6.66. Hazlewood is the highest wicket taker among the pace trio of Australia in this World Cup with 8 dismissals. His best figures of 4/39 came against the West Indies in the last game.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: M Rizwan
- Batters: B Azam, D Warner, S Smith
- All-rounders: M Hafeez, M Marsh, I Wasim
- Bowlers: H Rauf, S Afridi, P Cummins, J Hazlewood
- Captain: M Marsh/J Hazlewood
- Vice Captain: H Rauf/B Azam
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 T20 World Cup. 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.
Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!
