FANTASY
Follow UsTwo teams with different results in their first match will play with different goals in their second match. Papua New Guinea suffered a demoralizing defeat against Oman and Scotland with their spirited effort won their game against Bangladesh. In their head-on encounter in the fifth match, a win for Scotland will see them closer to the Super’s stage
In T20Is, PNG and Scotland have faced against each other twice and in both the matches, Scotland have been victorious in both.
HEAD TO HEAD IN T20Is
Matches – 2 | PNG – 0 wins | SCO – 2 wins
SUGGESTED TEAM
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your own team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre Based on algorithms, we have come up with one team
GROUND DETAILS
In the two matches played, it was a mixed bag. In the first match Oman chased a target of 130 with ease and Scotland in the second match defended 140. However, in T20Is since 2020, on an average 148 runs have been scored in the first innings in Al Amerat. Teams batting first and chasing have won five matches apiece.
There hasn’t been much difference between the pacers and spinners in T20Is since 2020 in Al Amerat. Just that, the spinners have had the slight upper hand. The pacers have bagged 47.8 percent of the wickets and spinners have picked up 52.2 percent. In rest of the aspects, both pacers and spinners have been neck-to-neck.
SUGGESTED CAPTAIN
The skipper of PNG Asadollah Vala, has been in sensational touch in recent times. In T20Is since 2019, he has scored 433 runs at a strike rate of 121.8 with four 50+ scores. To add more, in this time frame he has picked up 15 wickets at a balls/wicket ratio of 13.2. In the first match as well, Vala was a class-apart with the bat in PNG’s dismal batting display. This ability to contribute with both bat and ball on a consistent basis makes him our choice of captain.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Vala could score 18-28 runs and bag 0-1 wicket against SCO
X-FACTOR
The biggest reason behind Scotland being in a position to qualify to the super stage in their second match itself has been Chris Greaves. Coming into bat low down at number seven, Greaves helped Scotland in reaching 140. With the ball, he picked up two crucial points and was awarded the Player of the Match. On back of a good form, Greaves is certainly a player to watch out for
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Greaves could bag 0-1 wicket against PNG
Though he failed in the first match, Tony Ura is still onne of the most exciting players to watch out for in the contest between Scotland and PNG. In T20Is since 2019, Ura has scored close to 700 runs at an average of 43.7 and strike rate of 145.2. In this time frame, he has hit six 50+ scores including a 107* against the Philippines in 2019. The explosive batsman is for sure an X-factor.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Ura could score 18-26 runs against SCO
Alongside Greaves, Brad Wheal was also one of the reasons Scotland defended 140 in their first match. The right-arm pacer bagged three wickets for 24 runs and registered the best figures for a Scottish bowler in T20 WC. Against a vulnerable batting line-up of PNG, Wheal is certainly an X-factor
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Wheal could pick up 0-1 wicket against PNG
