New Zealand v Pakistan, 1st T20I – Fantasy Cricket Tips and Playing XI

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by Karthik Atchuta

Date: Dec 18, 2020 – 11:30am IST
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Fantasy Cricket Tips for New Zealand v Pakistan, 1st T20I – Dream 11

NZ T20I Squad: Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (wk), Glenn Phillips (wk), Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (c), Doug Bracewell, Scott Kuggeleijn, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Todd Astle, Blair Tickner

PAK T20I Squad: Mohammad Hafeez, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan (c), Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Wahab Riaz, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abdullah Shafique, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk)

Fantasy XI:

Batsmen: Devon Conway , Martin Guptill, Haider Ali

WK Batsman: Glenn Phillips (c), Tim Seifert

All Rounders: Imad Wasim, James Neesham (vc), Mohammad Hafeez (another vc choice if need be)

Bowlers: Wahab Riaz, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi

Captain and Vice Captain:

Glenn Phillips is coming fresh off from his maiden T20I century against West Indies and he is in some devastating form to ignore. His ability to gather quick runs will help boost up those bonus points for the strike rate as well. James Neesham will be his deputy. This man can bowl, bat and field – points shooting in all directions. A definite X-factor player

Batsmen:

With the top smashers Glenn Phillips and Tim Seifert in wicket keeper category – I am going in with just 3 batsmen – Martin Guptill, Devon Conway and the young Haider Ali who showed massive promise so far. Guptill is the top run getter at this venue with 576 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of nearly 170. A potential captain choice if you are some one who like going by the stats.

All rounders:

Scott Kuggeleijn has been slotted in the all rounders list by Dream 11 – It was hard for me to get him in as I have massive faith in Imad Wasim’s capabilities in T20 cricket. Mohammad Hafeez is in too good a form to miss out and James Neesham is the guy who gives you points all round. Shadab Khan is one more player in the all rounders list. With the responsibility of captaincy at his helm – he could step it up as well.

Bowlers:

As gutsy it could be – I am going in with 3 Pakistan bowlers as I am not sure from which direction the points can spring up. Shaheen Afridi is a must have pick in the team. Ish Sodhi is some one you can consider bringing in if you don’t like the all out Pakistan picks. Subject to toss you can make your call on the bowling line up.

X-factors for me will be James Neesham and Mohammad Hafeez – they can be the defining factor for the team’s critical differentials in the end.

Probable Playing XI:

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Tim Seifert (wk), Glenn Phillips, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (c), Todd Astle, Doug Bracewell, Scott Kuggeleijn, Ish Sodhi

Pakistan: Haider Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Hafeez, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan (c), Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi