Zimbabwe Cricket have announced their squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, marking the nation’s return to the global stage after missing the 2024 edition. Led by talismanic all-rounder Sikandar Raza, the squad blends experience and youth as Zimbabwe aim to re-establish themselves in elite T20 cricket.

Zimbabwe have been drawn into Group B alongside heavyweights Australia and Sri Lanka, as well as Ireland and Oman. All group matches will be played in Sri Lanka, with Zimbabwe opening their campaign against Oman on February 9, 2026.

T20 World Cup 2026: Blessing Muzarabani returns to lead Zimbabwe’s pace attack

A major boost for Zimbabwe comes with the return of fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, who is set to spearhead the pace attack. Muzarabani missed the recent Pakistan tri-series due to a back injury, raising concerns over his availability for the World Cup.

Having recovered fully, the tall right-arm seamer is expected to play a pivotal role, especially on Sri Lankan surfaces that can offer bounce with the new ball. His presence adds much-needed firepower to a bowling unit that will be tested against some of the strongest batting line-ups in world cricket.

Graeme Cremer’s comeback after seven years

One of the most eye-catching selections is the return of former Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer, who has been recalled after a seven-year absence from international cricket. Cremer’s inclusion significantly strengthens the spin department and brings leadership experience to the squad.

Cremer will partner Wellington Masakadza, giving Zimbabwe a reliable spin combination suited to subcontinental conditions. The selectors appear to have placed strong emphasis on experience and control, particularly for matches in Sri Lanka where spin often plays a decisive role.

Balanced squad blends youth and experience

Zimbabwe’s squad reflects a careful balance between seasoned campaigners and emerging talent. Alongside captain Sikandar Raza, the batting unit features Brendan Taylor, whose experience at the international level remains invaluable, as well as dynamic options like Brian Bennett and Ryan Burl.

Also READ: South Africa announces a bold squad for T20 World Cup 2026, drops Tristan Stubbs and recalls Kagiso Rabada

The middle order is bolstered by the likes of Tony Munyonga and Dion Myers, while wicketkeeping duties are expected to be shared by Clive Madande and Tadiwanashe Marumani.

Zimbabwe squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Sikandar Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Brendan Taylor

Also READ: India’s rising star Vaishnavi Sharma reveals her top 3 favourite male and female cricketers

The SA20 2025-26 season reaches a high-octane peak as the tournament’s only unbeaten side, the Joburg Super Kings, host the defending champions, Sunrisers Eastern Cape, in a clash for the top spot. The Super Kings arrive at the bullring with massive momentum after a heart-stopping Super Over victory against Durban’s Super Giants on New Year’s Day. Meanwhile, the Sunrisers, led by Tristan Stubbs, are looking to rebound from a narrow loss to Paarl Royals that snapped their perfect start. This Match 11 is a heavyweight battle between JSK’s explosive batting and the Sunrisers’ lethal pace battery, promising a spectacular contest in front of a packed Johannesburg crowd.

JSK vs SEC, SA20 2025-26: Match Details

• Date and Time: January 3 (Saturday); 4:30 pm IST / 11:00 am GMT / 1:00 pm LOCAL
• Venue: Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Head-to-Head Record (SA20):

Matches played: 7 | Joburg Super Kings won: 3 | Sunrisers Eastern Cape won: 4 | No result: 0

Wanderers Stadium Pitch Report

The Wanderers Stadium is famously known as a batter’s paradise due to its high altitude and quick outfield, which allow the ball to travel significantly further. The pitch typically offers a true bounce that stroke-makers love, though the bullring often provides some steep bounce and lateral movement for the fast bowlers early in the innings. In recent SA20 fixtures, scores exceeding 180 have been the norm rather than the exception. While the surface remains consistent throughout, the historical trend at this venue favors the team bowling first, as chasing under the lights can be slightly easier once the initial seam movement subsides. The toss-winning captain will likely elect to bowl first to exploit the early morning moisture.

Also READ: SA20 2026: Full list of commentators and presenters at South Africa’s explosive T20 cricket league

Joburg Super Kings vs Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Team Dynamics and Key Players

Joburg Super Kings: JSK are the team to beat this season, sitting at the top of the table with three wins from three. Their batting is spearheaded by the in-form Rilee Rossouw and the reliable Donovan Ferreira, who proved his finishing prowess in the Super Over thriller. The bowling unit has found a new hero in Richard Gleeson, whose eight wickets in three games have made him the most dangerous pacer in the league so far. With Faf du Plessis providing veteran leadership and the wily Prenelan Subrayen controlling the middle overs, the Super Kings look like a complete unit on their home turf.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape: The two-time champions remain a formidable force despite their recent slip-up. Their strength lies in a balanced attack featuring the raw pace of Anrich Nortje and the clinical Adam Milne, who has been amongst the wickets. The batting is anchored by the explosive Jordan Hermann and the marquee signing Quinton de Kock, who has already shown glimpses of his destructive best. Captain Tristan Stubbs provides the middle-order fire, while Marco Jansen offers elite all-round value. Their ability to deliver in high-pressure “big game” situations makes them a massive threat to JSK’s unbeaten run.

Squads: 

Joburg Super Kings: Faf du Plessis (c), James Vince, Rilee Rossouw, Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Ranjane, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Akeal Hosein, Richard Gleeson, Reece Topley, Imran Tahir, Nandre Burger, Matthew De Villiers, Prenelan Subrayen, Daniel Worrall, Wiaan Mulder, Duan Jansen, Dian Forrester, Steve Stolk, Janco Smit, Neil Timmers, Jarren Bacher

Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Jonny Bairstow, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tristan Stubbs (c), Lewis Gregory, Matthew Breetzke, Marco Jansen, Patrick Kruger, Senuran Muthusamy, Adam Milne, Anrich Nortje, Chris Wood, Allah Ghazanfar, JP King, Christopher King, Jordan Hermann, Mitchell Van Buuren, Tharindu Rathnayake, James Coles, Beyers Swanepoel, Lutho Sipamla

JSK vs SEC, SA20 2025-26: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Joburg Super Kings wins the toss and bowls first
• Sunrisers Eastern Cape powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• Sunrisers Eastern Cape total score: 170-185

Case 2:

• Sunrisers Eastern Cape wins the toss and bowls first
• Joburg Super Kings powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
• Joburg Super Kings total score: 175-195

Match result: Joburg Super Kings to win the contest

Also READ: SA20 2026 – TV channels, live streaming details | When and where to watch in India, Australia, Pakistan, USA, UK & other countries

Sydney Thunder host Hobart Hurricanes in the 21st match of Big Bash League 2025-26 at Sydney Showground Stadium. Defending champions Hurricanes hold a strong head-to-head edge and recent form advantage over a struggling Thunder side.​

Hobart Hurricanes lead the standings after winning four of six matches, highlighted by a nervy four-wicket chase against Thunder first up, reeling in 181. Their season rests on composed batting and incisive bowling. Sydney Thunder sit lower with one win from several outings; defeats to Melbourne Stars (128 all out) and Brisbane Heat hurt, though a 193/4 victory suggests batting promise.

ST vs HH, BBL|15: Match details

• Date and Time: January 1 (Saturday); 1:45 pm IST / 8:15 am GMT / 7:15 pm Local
• Venue: Sydney Showground Stadium, Sydney

ST vs HH, Head-to-Head Record in BBL

Matches played: 23 | Hobart Hurricanes won: 15 | Sydney Thunder won: 08 | No result/Tied: 0

Sydney Showground Stadium Pitch Report

Sydney Showground Stadium’s pitch typically offers balanced conditions for T20 cricket in the Big Bash League. It provides true bounce and even pace early on, assisting seam bowlers with some movement under lights. As the game progresses, the surface wears to assist spinners with grip and turn. Average first-innings scores range from 160-180, with chasing teams winning around 60% of matches due to evening dew. Short boundaries encourage high-scoring games, but disciplined bowling in powerplay and death overs remains crucial.

Squads:

Sydney Thunder: David Warner (c), Sam Billings, Lockie Ferguson, Daniel Sams, Chris Green, Cameron Bancroft, Wes Agar, Ollie Davies, Shadab Khan, Matthew Gilkes, Tanveer Sangha, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Tom Andrews, Ravichandran Ashwin, Blake Nikitaras

Hobart Hurricanes: Nathan Ellis (c), Tim David, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Beau Webster, Jake Weatherald, Chris Jordan, Rishad Hossain, Rehan Ahmed, Mac Wright, Iain Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Fergus O’Neill, Ollie Peake

Also WATCH: Jim Peirson grabs a screamer to remove Glenn Maxwell in BBL|15

ST vs HH, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Sydney Thunder wins the toss and bowls first
• Hobart Hurricanes’ powerplay score: 55-65 (6 overs)
• Hobart Hurricanes’ total score: 180-190

Case 2:

• Hobart Hurricanes wins the toss and bowls first
• Sydney Thunder’s powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• Sydney Thunder’s total score: 170-180

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest

Also READ: Fans erupt as Mitchell Marsh lights up BBL|15 with thunderous century against Hobart Hurricanes

Veteran Australian opening batter Usman Khawaja has confirmed that the fifth Test of the 2025-26 Ashes in Sydney will be the final match of his international career. Australia captain Pat Cummins and former India opener Shikhar Dhawan extended their wishes to Khawaja ahead of his final match in national colours.

Khawaja made his Test debut in 2011 and played 87 matches. He scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39, including 16 centuries. Khawaja played a key role in Australia’s success in the longest format. He was part of the squad that won the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2023 and reached the final again later.

Pat Cummins And Shikhar Dhawan Wish Usman Khawaja Ahead Of His Final International Match

The fifth Test in Sydney will be Usman Khawaja’s final match in international cricket. Notably, the match is special for him because he made his Test debut at the same ground in 2011, also against England.

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Khawaja moved to Australia from Islamabad as a child and went on to become the country’s first Pakistan-born and first Muslim international cricketer.

Pat Cummins wished him luck and hoped for one final big score at home. Shikhar Dhawan also praised Khawaja’s journey and sent his best wishes ahead of the farewell match in Sydney.

“Congratulations on an incredible career, mate. One more home century to go,” Cummins posted on his Instagram story.

“What a journey, @Uz_Khawaja. Good luck for the last Test in Sydney and everything that comes next 🙌,” Dhawan tweeted on Friday morning.

What a journey, @Uz_Khawaja. Good luck for the last Test in Sydney and everything that comes next 🙌

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) January 2, 2026

Usman Khawaja’s Performance in a Challenging Ashes 2025-26 Series

Usman Khawaja became the only Asian first-class cricketer in Australia. He later set up a foundation to support young people from refugee, immigrant, Indigenous, and disadvantaged backgrounds through cricket and education.

Khawaja has scored 6,206 runs with 16 centuries at an average of 43.39, with a career-best 232 against Sri Lanka last year. However, the left-handed batter has not scored a hundred since. The current Ashes series has been tough for him and has brought extra pressure.

He hurt his back in the Perth Test and missed the next match in Brisbane. The batter was also left out in Adelaide but returned when Steve Smith fell ill before the toss. Batting at number four, Khawaja scored 82 and 40 but followed it with scores of 29 and 0 in the Melbourne Test.

Australia Face Uncertainty At The Top Of The Order

Australia have no clear succession plan at the top of the order. A similar situation unfolded a few years ago when David Warner retired at home, and despite having time to prepare, Australia struggled to manage the transition smoothly.

Steve Smith was pushed up the order with little success, while young options like Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney were not given extended runs. Marnus Labuschagne briefly tried opening, adding to the instability.

With Usman Khawaja’s retirement, Australia have lost their most settled opener. The team must now decide whether to make Travis Head a permanent opener and strengthen the middle order, or turn fully to domestic cricket to build a new opening pair from scratch.

Also read: Australia squad for fifth Test against England in Ashes 2025-26 announced; Steve Smith to lead

Former India cricketer Yograj Singh has criticized the decision to leave Shubman Gill out of the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 in February-March. The former all-rounder stated that a short run of poor scores should not outweigh a player’s standing, leadership role, or long-term importance to the team.

Gill’s omission from India’s T20 World Cup squad caught many by surprise. He was named vice-captain during the Asia Cup after returning to the T20I setup. India reshuffled their top order and split the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. However, the change did not pay off for the Men in Blue.

Yograj Singh Opens Up On Shubman Gill’s Omission From T20 World Cup 2026

Yograj Singh said that the selectors excluded Gill despite his vice-captaincy, adding that many players in the past were given long runs despite repeated failures. He used Abhishek Sharma as an example, questioning whether youngsters would also be dropped after just a few poor outings.

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“Shubman Gill is a vice-captain. What is the reason behind dropping him? Just because he failed in 4-5 innings? Indian cricketers have had so many players who have barely managed to perform in 10 matches out of 100 opportunities,” Yograj told Ravi Bisht on a YouTube show.

“They still played; you already know the reason why. Young Abhishek Sharma arrived a couple of years ago. If he fails four innings will you drop him as well?” he added.

Let Me Give You An Example Of The ‘Great’ Kapil Dev – Yograj Singh

Yograj Singh referred to past selection decisions involving Kapil Dev. He recalled an instance from an overseas tour when Kapil continued to be backed despite repeated failures. Yograj added that then-captain Bishan Singh Bedi still showed faith in Kapil by picking him for the next tour.

“Let me give you an example of the ‘great’ Kapil Dev. When we toured Pakistan with Bishan Singh Bedi as captain, Kapil Dev continued to play matches despite failing with bat and ball. But Bishan Singh Bedi still took him on the subsequent tour of England,” Yograj stated.

Shubman Gill’s T20I Struggles Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

Shubman Gill struggled in T20Is after returning to the national side. He scored 291 runs in 15 T20I matches at an average of 24.25 and a strike rate of 137.26. He did not score a single half-century, which raised concerns about his impact in the shortest format.

As Gill failed to find consistency, India kept changing their T20I combination. Sanju Samson was first pushed down the batting order and later dropped from the team as selectors searched for the right balance.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed that the decision was based on team combination needs and not because Gill lacked quality. India then brought back Ishan Kishan, rewarding him for his strong domestic form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Kishan replaced Gill in the T20 World Cup squad.

Despite this setback in T20Is, Gill remains a key figure for India. He continues as captain in ODIs and Tests, will play two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Punjab in Jaipur, and is set to lead India in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting on January 11.

Also read: Shubman Gill set to play for Punjab after his T20 World Cup 2026 snub

MI Emirates will be up against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in qualifier two of the International League T20. This article provides details about Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ Playing 11 vs MI Emirates for the match in question.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders XI vs MI Emirates- ILT20 2025-26, Qualifier 2:

Openers: Philip Salt (wk), Michael Pepper

The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, led by Jason Holder, would eye a spot in the final of the ILT20 season four courtesy of a win against the MI Emirates in the second qualifier.

ADKR would hope for the players to replicate the same performance that they delivered in the Eliminator against the Dubai Capitals.

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For that to happen, the team would bank on its openers to get them off to a good start in the first six overs so as to lay a platform for the middle order batters to capatalize on and put on a strong performance to get the opposition bowlers under pressure.

In addition to that, ADKR would also wish for Philip Saly and Michael Pepper to score runs individually as well in order to be in good rhythm for the final against the in-form Desert Vipers.

If the opening duo is able to do what is required of it, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will have a good chance of posting an above-par total on the board while batting first.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Alishan Sharafu, Alex Hales, Liam Livingstone, Brandon McMullen, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (c),

Liam Livingstone, Alex Hales, and Andre Russel are the names that make up ADKR’s middle order, a force to reckon with against a strong bowling lineup that MI Emirates possesses.

The above mentioned abtters will be assisted by Alishan Sharfu and Brandon McMullan, along with captain Jason Holder, who will play a vital role with the bat lower down the order and with the ball.

The responsibility will be on the top five batters to shoulder the weight of run scoring and get the majority of the team’s runs.

Every ADKR batter will have to put his hand up and make a decisive contribution whenever he comes to bat, and help the team post a challenging total or chase whatever target is set by the opposition.

Bowlers: Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla, Ajay Kumar

As far as ADKR’s bowling is concerned, it comprises of expierenced bowlers like Sunil Narine, Pyush Chawla, captain Jason Holder, and Andre Russell.

The quartet of bowlers will be supported by Ajay Kumar, who has impressed everyone with his bowling and will look to bowl a match-winning spell in the next game to get his team over the line and with that a place inthe final of the six-team competition.

The spin duo of Pyush Chawla and Sunil Narine would wish to get dry conditions to bowl as both bowlers will play a vital role in the game, given the rich vein of expierence that they carry.

Other than Ajay Kumar, Jason Holder, and Andre Russell will take care of the team’s fast bowling department, with Holder expected to partner with Ajay in the powerplay.

A fresh political storm has hit the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) high-profile signing of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, which has put the franchise co-owner Shah Rukh Khan under immense pressure ahead of the 2026 season.

The Mustafizur Rahman Saga: The Signing That Ignited Political Controversy

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) snapped up Bangladesh’s left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman for a whopping ₹9.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. It was just a move to bolster their bowling attack, but the recent situation of Hindus in Bangladesh has been putting continuous pressure on KKR and SRK.

Read Also: KKR declared anti-nationals after major controversy leads to unrest

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While Mustafizur is a proven T20 asset, the cricketer’s signing is now overshadowed by geopolitical tensions due to rising anger over repeated reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. The issue has now moved beyond social media anger and into open political demands.

Political Backlash and Calls for a Ban

Several political leaders have openly urged Shah Rukh Khan to remove the Bangladeshi pacer from the KKR squad. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has requested the KKR co-owner to drop Mustafizur from the side, saying the presence of a Bangladeshi player in his team could make the Bollywood superstar a direct target of public anger.

Sanjay Nirupam was quoted as saying by ANI: “When the entire country is enraged and angry at Bangladesh, anyone in India who has even the slightest connection to Bangladeshis could become a target of that anger. If there is a Bangladeshi in Shah Rukh Khan’s team, before he becomes a major target, we request that Shah Rukh Khan remove the Bangladeshi from his team. This will be for his own good and will also protect India’s interests.”

The pressure intensified further when Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey called for a complete ban on Bangladeshi players in the IPL. He stated that foreign players from countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan should not be allowed to play on Indian soil, especially at a time when emotions are running high due to attacks on Hindu minorities across the border.

Read Also: If Dropped Due to Political Storm, Will KKR Still Pay Mustafizur Rahman Rs 9.2 Crore for IPL 2026?

Dubey stated, “Bangladeshi players shouldn’t be allowed to play on Indian soil in the IPL… Pakistani and Bangladeshi players should be prohibited. They harbor hatred towards us for the murder of our Hindu brothers and sisters… Shah Rukh Khan should immediately remove that Bangladeshi cricketer from his team… If he doesn’t do this even after all this uproar, it will prove that, while he lives in this country and earns money here, he doesn’t understand this nation’s sentiments.”

Shah Rukh Khan’s History with Political Controversy

In 2012, the Bollywood icon was banned from entering Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium for five years after an argument with security staff. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) later reduced the ban, and it was lifted in 2015. A few years later, the actor revealed that he got angry because his children were present and were not being handled properly, and a security guard used an offensive word directed at his religion, which made him lose his temper.

And then in 2015, SRK mentioned “growing intolerance” in India, which led to him being labelled “anti-national,” with many political leaders suggesting he “go to Pakistan.” Given these past incidents, the KKR-Rahman deal is being linked to alleged anti-India sentiments and violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

Erling Haaland, the Norwegian footballer who leads Manchester City’s lineup, recently met Indian Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill and handed the Indian star a signed pair of football boots.

Shubman Gill, the Indian cricketer who has seen a remarkable rise in the last year of the game, has risen to prominence after being handed the captaincy of the Indian team across the Test and ODI formats.

Though Gill has had a successful season in the red-ball format, he has not been able to convince all with his white-ball dominance. He has been snubbed from the ICC T20 World Cup squad for India, which was a huge setback for the youngster, as this would be the second consecutive time he is not part of India’s T20 World Cup squad.

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Recently, Shubman Gill met one of the greatest football sensations of modern-day football, Erling Haaland, who plays for Manchester City in the English Premier League (EPL). The Indian captain met Ed Sheeran and Kevin de Bruyne during the last 9 months.

During their recent meetup, the Manchester City star Erling Haaland signed a pair of boots for the Indian prince of cricket, while on the other hand, Shubman too exchanged gifts with the Norwegian football star.

Shubman Gill meets Erling Haaland. 😍

– Haaland gifted his signed football Boots to Indian Captain. pic.twitter.com/yae3gYDxXh

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 2, 2026

Shubman Gill to undergo rapid growth and adjustment

Irfan Pathan referred to the times when he first broke into the Indian team as a teenager, and the legendary Rahul Dravid helped him through tougher times and helped him get through.

Gill would now have to undergo the process of adjustment, particularly after being handed leadership duties at such a young age.

“The same can be said for Gill. He became captain in that England series; he increased his average and authority within the team. Then he got the ODI captaincy; when that happens, you get an opportunity to grow a lot,” he added.

“The more responsibility and challenges he gets, he will grow more as a cricketer,” said Irfan Pathan

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan put his weight behind Indian youngster Shubman Gill, who has been handed leadership responsibilities early on in his career. He also remarked that for a talented player like him, comparisons are pretty common, since India has a generational legacy in the game.

“He has a lot of talent. There will always be comparisons. Virat was compared with Sachin (Tendulkar), and now Gill is being compared to Virat, who has scored those 25,000–30,000 runs. I think he is fully capable of it. He has a fine range of shots,” Pathan said.

“The more responsibility and challenges he gets, he will grow more as a cricketer. I have seen that he is always ready for cricket. Always willing to learn. He has that attitude in him,” Pathan largely praised Gill.

ALSO READ: “Arjun Tendulkar bats like his father,” Former coach makes massive claim after IPL 2026 auction

MI Emirates will face Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in qualifier two of the International League T20. This article provides details about MI Emirates’ Playing 11 vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders for qualifier two of the competition.

MI Emirates Playing XI vs Abu Dhabi Knight Riders- ILT20 2025-26, Qualifier 2:

Openers: Muhammad Waseem, Andre Fletcher

MI Emirates, the former champions of the ILT20, would aim to win their second title by setting up a meeting against the Desert Vipers.

But before that, they will have to get the better of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the upcoming match.

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ADKR is coming into the match with a strong performance against the Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator, meaning that MI Emirates will have their task cut out in both the batting and bowling departments.

The onus will be on the batters to come up with a spirited effort, which will be led by the opening pair of Muhammad Waeem and Andre Fletcher, both of whom are known for their aggressive batting at the top of the order.

Both Waseem and Fleycher would wish to begin in a similar fashion in order to get the opposition bowlers under pressure and lay a platform for the middle order to capitalize on.

Along with that, both batters would also want to make significent contribution on indiviual basis as well to gain confidence for the all-important final.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Tom Banton (wk), Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Kieron Pollard (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Dan Mousley, Romario Shepherd

The reason why MI Emirates’ middle order is talked about in the tournament is due to the presence of hard hitters like captain Kieron Pollard and all-rounder Romario Shepherd, both of whom have the ability to change the game on its head.

MIE also has the expierence of Shakib Al Hasan to rely on, along with Tom Banton, who has the expierence of playing in various leagues around the world.

Each of the aboe mentioned batters will have to put their best foot forward both while batting first and while chasing.

The reason being the variety of options that ADKR has at its dispossal meaning that the batters will have to bring their A game to counter them.

Bowlers: Allah Ghazanfar, Zahoor Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi

The MI Emirates have a total of six bowling options in their arsnel including the more than handy, gentle medium pace of the captain of the team, Kieron Pollard.

If we talk about the five regular bowling option it includes bowlers like Zahoor Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Romario Shepherd, who came up with an all-round performance in the Eliminator, Allah Ghazanfar, and experienced spinner Shakib Al Hasan.

Fazalhaq Farooqi and Zahoor Khan will take care of the team’s fast bowling department and are expected to take the new ball, meaning that they will be entrusted to pick wickets in the first six overs

The spin bowling department of MI Emirates will be handled by Shakib Al Hasan and Allah Ghazanfar, who will look to pick wickets in the middle phase of ADKR’s batting innings.