Impact of England Openers in the WT20 2016, India

England are a team that, traditionally, does not play spin bowling very well and hence the onus on its openers to provide a rapid start while the ball is still new and hard, and fast bowlers are probably in operation is all the more imperative. England has one opener who is in the form of his life and hitting the ball as sweetly as anyone else in the world while the other spot is debatable. Let us look at the impact that the English Openers will have on the ICC WT20 2016.

Alex Hales

Alex Hales had a horror run in the four match test series against South Africa where he struggled to lay bat to ball but he has been in punishing form in coloured clothing, making 5 consecutive half century scores in the ODI series that followed, including a hundred and a 99. He hits the ball cleanly and likes thrashing the ball straight, a virtue that helps him keep his body shape intact. He is also strong on the back foot and likes cutting and pulling anything which is even remotely short. He has all the shots in the book and will be the key man for England while opening the innings.

His whirlwind 64 ball 116* in the last WT20 helped England beat Sri Lanka, the eventual champions, in the group match. Hales has played 38 T20I’s for England and has an impressive average of over 34 and a strike rate almost touching 140 making him a high impact player for the English in the shortest format of the game.

Impact Rating – 8/10

Jason Roy

A hard hitting and an extremely destructive opener, Jason Roy is an English opening batsman born in South Africa. A clean striker of the cricket ball down the ground, he also revels in playing unconventional shots like the switch hits. He started the ODI series against South Africa with a bang, smashing 48 off just 30 balls but his form has since deserted him. Consistency is always a difficult virtue for attacking opening batsmen, only a few are able to maintain that for long. Roy has played 7 T20I’s and with a highest score of just 29 is yet to carry his domestic form to top flight cricket.

He will be under severe pressure from James Vince, a batsman in the mould of Ajinkya Rahane who plays more conventional shots but has an impressive record. Jason Roy might have one last chance to prove himself in the second T20I which is slated for tomorrow night.

Impact Rating – 5/10

James Vince

James Vince is a young man who has been tipped to do well in all formats for England by those who have seen him. He made an impressive debut for England in T20I’s against Pakistan where he made 125 runs at an average of 41 in the three matches. He represented Karachi in the ongoing PSL and had only an average outing, not making a 50 in 7 innings.

Impact Rating – 5/10

England will have to choose between Roy and Vince for the second openers slot considering the form that Hales is currently in and him bedding his place down.

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3 Fantastico Battles that could Impact the 1st T20I between Eng and SA

South Africa completed a remarkable turnaround in the ODI series by winning the last three games to clinch the series 3-2. There were plenty of amazing performances from both the teams and now the two teams meet again in the shortest format of the game in a bid to fine tune their game ahead of the ICC WT20 which will start next month in India.

3 Fantastico Battles that could have an Impact on the 1st T20I between SavEng:

AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock Vs Reece Topley

Quinton de Kock was the destroyer in chief for the South Africans in the ODI series where he cracked two swashbuckling hundreds, both filled with enterprising strokes and flair. De Villiers had a more subdued series but he still managed to finish in the series with over 200 runs at an average of more than 72. It will be an explosive opening if these two get their act together, they are capable of taking apart any bowling attack in the world and bring any team to its knees. Trying to stop these Fantastico batsmen will be Reece Topley, the left arm seamer who finished as the highest wicket taker in the ODI series. He is capable of swing the ball and with the left armers angle might prove to be a handful for even De Kock and De Villiers!

Alex Hales and Joe Root Vs Kasigo Rabada and Kyle Abbott

Alex Hales and Joe Root had a super ODI series, with both of them scoring over 350 runs in the five match series and ending up one-two in the run chart. Hales scored 4 fifties and a ton while Root made a fifty and two tons. These two in form batsmen will be up against two in form bowlers, Rabada and Abbott, who were one of the main reasons why the Protea team could snatch the series 3-2 after being two down after the first two games! These two picked up regular wickets and kept the run scoring in check, they bowled with fire and aggression and conquered the entire English team expect Hales and Root. It promises to be another fascinating battle when they meet again, this time in the T20 format!

Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes Vs David Wiese and Chris Morris

Jos Buttler started ODI series with a bang, making an audacious hundred and then cracking a 20 ball 40 odd to win the second ODI from the jaws of a defeat. Ben Stokes made a couple of attractive fifties of his own coming in life down while also picking up important wickets with the ball. But these two men also three ducks between them and thus let the game slip from the English point of view. Wiese and Morris played a key role in the Protea renaissance, picking up crucial wicket at important junctures of the match. They both are also hard hitting lower order batsmen who contributed in the ODI matches. Their battle with Stokes and Buttler will be intriguing and one to look out for!!

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Fantastico Malinga, Mathews Return for WT20, Asia Cup

Sri Lanka finally announced their 15 Man Squad that will take part in the Asia Cup T20I’s and the subsequent World Twenty20 that follows in India in March-April. The young and green team that lost to India was given a minor makeover with several of the injured seniors making a much anticipated comeback to the national side ahead of the big tournament.

Sri Lankan skipper and their talismanic bowler, Lasith Malinga; his partner in crime, Nuwan Kulasekera; their vice-captain and middle order stalwart, Angelo Mathews; and their lead spinner, Rangana Herath have all been named for both the events. All these Fantastico players had missed the three match T20I series that was recently played in India which the Lankan team had convincingly lost 2-1.

Wicket-keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella, who failed in both the matches that he played in India, has also been picked ahead of Dhanushka Gunathilaka who also had an ordinary series. Kusal Janith Perera remains suspended over a doping offence and his status on the same remains unclear. He was a key link to providing Sri Lanka with explosive starts at the beginning of the innings and he will be a huge loss for the Lankans in my opinion.

Sri Lanka retained Jefferey Vandersay, the leg spinner who did not play a single match in India, while Kasun Rajitha, the fast bowler who was the man of the match in their victory at Pune was dropped. Veteran fast bowler Dilhara Fernando who played the third T20I against India was not picked in the squad either. Sachithra Senanayake has also been picked along with off spinning all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya, who is a big hitter down the order.

Dilshan will be the key at the top of the order and Sri Lanka will hope that he can rediscover his form and flair at the right time. Dinesh Chandimal, Kapugedera and Milinda Siriwardena are also all in the squad although I am not too sure about Chandimal’s selection as he looked totally lost in the T20 format up until now. Seam bowling all-rounder Dasun Shanaka has also been named in the squad and I loved his peppy hitting in the India series and he should open with Dilshan in my view and Dickwella should be pushed down in to the middle order.

The Sri Lankan bowling which lacked penetration against India will be significantly bolstered by the returning Malinga and Kulesekera who will team up with the tearaway quick Dushmantha Chameera and wily left arm spinner Rangana Herath. They will be ably supported by Angelo Mathews, a superb all-rounder while players like Siriwardena, Dilshan and Shanaka can all roll their arm over as well giving Malinga with plenty of options.

Although to the naked eye it might seem a bit light in the batting department, this is a pretty decent side with some high impact players, who, if they get on a roll, will be very hard to stop.

Sri Lanka 15 Man Squad for World T20 2016 and Asia Cup:

Lasith Malinga (captain), Angelo Mathews (vice-captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Niroshan Dickwella, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milinda Siriwardana, Dasun Shanaka, Chamara Kapugedera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath, Jeffrey Vandersay.

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3 Fantastico Battles that could Impact the 2nd Test between Aus and NZ

Australia won the first test convincingly but the no ball fiasco surrounding umpire Richard Illingworth, where he adjudged a Bracewell delivery to be a no ball, off which Adam Voges was cleaned bowled for just 7, and then went on to make a game changing 239, hogged most of the post-match discussions and headlines.

The second and the final match in this two match series will be the Kiwi captain McCullum's final test and the entire New Zealand team will be keen to give their inspirational leader a farewell victory just like they had done in the final ODI match of the Chappell-Hadlee series, defending 246 runs with all their heart and might.

Let us look at the 3 Fantastico battles that might impact the outcome of the second test between Australia and New Zealand.

Josh Hazlewood Vs Kane Williamson

Josh Hazlewood has been a consistent performer for the Australian team since the past one year or so. His ability to keep the ball on and around the off stump and then swing it both ways has led to the downfall of many a batsman in recent times. He was their best bowler in the Chappell-Hadlee ODI series and in the first test he wreaked havoc on the Kiwi top order snaffling 4 wickets in no time in their first innings.

Kane Williamson is one batsman who is well equipped to play the swinging ball and come out on top but he too had an average first test making just 16 and 22, as he fell to Hazlewood in both the innings. It was Williamson who had tormented the Aussie bowlers in their two test series last year with an avalanche of runs and proving almost impossible to dislodge. Williamson will have to play a high impact innings so that the Kiwi's don't lose a bunch of wickets in the middle overs since it is already significantly weakened by the absence of Ross Taylor.

Nathan Lyon Vs Brendon McCullum

Nathan Lyon might seem to the naked eye to be an innocuous bowler and somebody who could be easily handled. But with a classical off spinner’s action he manages to put enough revolutions on the ball to spin it viciously. He also gets dangerous drift and dip which can be very difficult to negotiate for any batsman along with the extra bounce which he generates due to his high arm action. Brendon McCullum is someone who likes to go after the bowlers and he will certainly not hold back in his final international appearance for the Black Caps. A Lyon-McCullum battle promises to be a fascinating one, with Lyon on the top of his game as a spinner, not afraid to flight the ball, and McCullum not one to hold back and known for his outrageous hitting.

Trent Boult and Tim Southee Vs The Aussie Top Order

Southee and Boult are a dangerous bowling pair - right and left handed, ability to swing the ball both ways and always homing in on the batsman's stumps. It has been their Fantastico pairing that has been one of the biggest reasons for the upsurge of the Kiwi's under McCullum. The Aussie top order will be constantly under fire and pressure when these two champion bowlers will have the ball in their hands and it will be important for them to not loose early wickets to this pair because if that happens then they are most likely to run through their entire batting line up. It promises to be another lip smacking battle that is on the cards when the second test between the Trans-Tasman rivals starts.

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The Fantastico 5 who made 3-2 Come-From-Behind Series Win against England Possible!!

South Africa were two down after the first two matches in the five match ODI series and needed some heroes who could stand up and be counted to avoid a home series loss. England was playing a very positive brand of cricket and the Protea's seemed to be having too many out of form players to match the English side.

But cometh the hour and cometh the men, let us look at the Fantastico 5 who put their hands up and made telling contributions that had a great impact on the series, turning it on its head, as South Africa went on to win the next three games in a row to complete a remarkable turnaround to win the series 3-2.

Kasigo Rabada

Kasigo Rabada did not play the first ODI match when South Africa was run ragged by Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes and England had made a huge 399 runs batting first. He returned from the second match and immediately made an impact. Although he failed to pick up any wicket in the second ODI, he was economical and remained a threat throughout. He took 4, 2 and 3 wickets respectively in the remaining three games to peg the English back with important strikes. The two times that Buttler made a first ball duck, it was Rabada who managed to snaffle him. He played a key role in the reversal of South Africa’s fortune.

Kyle Abbott

Like Rabada, Abbott too did not play the first match but when he returned from the second ODI, he immediately gave a more threatening and penetrative look to the African bowling. He always pulled the burgeoning English run rate back with his accurate bowling while also taking important wickets. In all, he took 8 wickets in the four matches and along with Rabada, who took 9, played a decisive part in the Protea win.

Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla

Quinton de Kock nearly helped the South African team chase down Mt. 399 with his audacious hitting when he made 138* off just 96 balls in the first ODI as wickets fell around him and before the rain ultimately had the final say in deciding the fate of the match. De Kock was at it again in the third ODI when, chasing 319 to win the match, he made a Fantastico 135 off just 117 balls to kill the chase along with Hashim Amla, who also made a ton (127 off 130 balls). De Kock and Amla played a big role in the turnaround with their 239 run partnership in the third ODI and they finished with 326 and 196 runs respectively in the series.

AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers was not in the best of the form, at least not by his lofty standards, as he struggled for the usual fluency and flair that he is known for. Still, he made 218 runs in the series at an average of almost 73 and it was in the last ODI, with the series locked 2-2 and England very much in the ascendency having reduced South Africa to 22-3 after setting them 237 to win, that he played an innings of high class under immense pressure. He restrained his natural hitting instincts and made an absolute gem of a hundred to guide the chase home and bring home the trophy!!

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The Fantastico 3 who made 2-1 Come-From-Behind Series Win against Sri Lanka Possible!!

India needed to win both the games in Ranchi and Vizag after their meltdown in Pune to the swinging ball on a green pitch. And win they did, in style, securing a come from behind 2-1 victory over the depleted Sri Lankan side in the three match T20I series. This series win was very important because it gives them the bragging rights ahead of the bigger and tougher multi nation events like the Asia Cup T20I's and the World T20 where they might again run into the Lankan side.

There were several architects who made this series win possible for India. Let us look at the Fantastico 3 who made the greatest impact on the Lankans with their skills.

R Ashwin

India did not have a big score to defend at Pune and the pitch was green, aiding the pace bowlers, but that did not stop Ashwin from spinning a web around the Lankan batsmen. He claimed 3-0-13-2 to scare the Lankan's and made sure that they did not stroll to a victory. At Ranchi, on a dry pitch which offered him assistance, Dhoni called on him to open the bowling. He responded in style picking up the dangerous Dilshan in his first over and returned later to claim Shanaka and Perera to return with astounding figures of 4-0-14-3.

But it was at Vizag that he showed his full repertoire after Dhoni decided to bowl first on a batting pitch. Ashwin claimed Dilshan and Dickwella in his first over while snaffling their captain, Chandimal in his second and Gunaratne in his third over to kill the Lankan innings. His figures of 4-1-8-4 were the best ever in T20I's by an Indian bowler. He had a Fantastico series and kept the Lankan batsmen on a tight leash, they failed to read and decipher his variations completely.

Ashwin is a bowler who is at the peak of his powers, able to land the ball in the right areas with flight and guile using the multitude of variations to fool the opposition batsmen. He bowled 11 overs in total taking 9 wickets at a strike rate of only 7 while giving away only 35 runs in the bargain. He was the most impact player for India who played the biggest part in the 2-1 victory.

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan is probably the weakest link in this Indian batting line, who had a modest T20I record prior to this series but he was the highest run getter in this series and sealed his spot at the top of the order with his big hitting which helped India seize the initiative in both their victories. He blasted a 25 ball 51 at Ranchi to give them a rousing start while Rohit was struggling at the other end while making an unbeaten 46 in 46 balls while chasing the small total in the last T20I.

He made 103 runs at an average of 53 with a strike rate of 126 runs per hundred balls on pitches which were not easy to bat on this playing a very important role in India's series victory.

Ashish Nehra

He had made a dream comeback against Australia last month and had impressed with his swing and wicket taking ability with the new ball playing an important role in India's whitewash over the Australian team. But question marks remained if he would be able to bowl well on the flat Indian pitches and he responded in style by picking up 5 wickets in the three games.

He swung the new ball and provided India with an early breakthrough in every game thus pegging the Lankans back at the very start of their innings.

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Liam Dawson the only New Face in England's 15 Man Squad for the WT20 2016

England announced their 15 man squad that will take part in the ICC World Twenty20 2016 to be held in March-April in India from next month. There were not many surprises in their squad which comprised of just one uncapped player – Liam Dawson, a slow left arm orthodox spinner from Hampshire.

Eoin Morgan will be in charge of a youthful and energetic side, featuring peppy young players, all of whom are known for their fearless brand of cricket, a far cry from the days when England looked lost in the shorter formats of the game. The most notable omission from the squad was Kevin Pietersen, whose inclusion might in any case have been a long shot, considering his squabbles with the English board and Andrew Strauss, once a team-mate of Pietersen and now the Director of England Cricket.

Their batting will be led by the exuberant Jason Roy and Alex Hales who will be well supported by the next big thing in English Cricket, Jos Buttler. Captain Eoin Morgan and Joe Root will take care of the middle order while the hard hitting and high impact all-rounder’s Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali will be expected to provide the finishing touches to the massacre. They also have Sam Billings and James Vince as a back up to these established players and both of them are playing in the PSL which will certainly stand them in good stead with regards to the conditions that can be expected in India.

There is plenty of flair in the bowling department as well even with the omission of Stuart Broad who was a part of their victorious campaign in the West Indies in 2010. The two left arm bowlers who are currently doing very well for them in the ongoing ODI series against the Protea’s, David Willey and Reece Topley are both there in addition to Steve Finn whose pace will give England plenty of room to work with.

The spin bowling department, which was once their Achilles heel, is also brimming with a lot of talent and flair. There is the leg spinner, Adil Rashid, who after a brilliant Big Bash League is continuing his splendid form in the ODI matches against the South Africans. Then there is Moeen Ali, a very under rated off break bowler but perfectly capable of picking up wickets with his guile and variations. Then there is the uncapped Liam Dawson, a slow left arm orthodox bowling all-rounder who has done very well recently with the England Lions team.

It is a very competent 15 man squad that the English have announced with plenty of impact players and they will also have the assistance of Paul Collingwood (the 2010 WT20 winning captain for England) and Mahela Jayawardena (Former Sri Lankan batsmen and captain who was a part of the WT20 winning team in the last edition), both of whom will certainly lend plenty of advice on batting and the Indian conditions in general.

England WT20 2016 Squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) (Captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Sam Billings (Kent), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Reece Topley (Hampshire), James Vince (Hampshire), David Willey (Yorkshire)

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