All you fantasy cricket lovers, don’t forget to read this article before selecting your fantasy teams for the 2nd ODI between South Africa and Pakistan which is going to be played today, 22nd January 2019 at 4:30pm IST. Read through here to know who to pick and who to leave out of your teams.
Hash or no hash?
This will be the biggest question on everyone’s minds. Hashim Amla received a lot of flak for his slow century in the 1st ODI, having scored less than 30 runs in the final ten overs and ending with an overall strike rate of 90. However, that has no effect on his fantasy points. He still scored much more points than anyone else. If budget isn’t a constraint, select him. Debutant Rassie van der Dussen scored 93 in the last game and he is someone I just can’t drop, due to his consistent run-scoring right through the Global T20 Canada followed by the Mzansi Super League as well.
All-rounders
Here’s a big problem. Dream11 and most big fantasy sports operators only let you select a maximum of three all-rounders. Now the Pakistan team is full of quality all-rounders, which makes a huge selection dilemma. Mohammad Hafeez announced his retirement from Test Cricket earlier to be able to concentrate on the shorter formats and he hit the ground running in the 1st ODI, with a Man of the Match winning performance.
I’d select Hafeez and Imad Wasim in my teams, while I’d drop Faheem Ashraf, as he doesn’t have the pace needed for South African pitches. For South Africa, Andile Phehlukwayo becomes the only option, unless you want to skip him for a better strike bowling option in Kagiso Rabada. Only advantage is that Phehlukwayo could be given the chance to hit a few blows up the order.
Wicket-keeper
South Africa will continue without Dale Steyn and Quinton de Kock, which means that Heinrich Klaasen will get a longer run. He bats lower than his counterpart Sarfraz Ahmed but remember that the latter has got 5 single digit scores on this tour, including a pair in the Test series. Pick Klaasen as he’s one who can come in lower down the order and hit a few hefty blows.
My Fantasy Eleven:
Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman (c), Faf du Plessis, Rassie van der Dussen, Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Andile Phehlukwayo, Imran Tahir, Shadab Khan (vc), Hasan Ali.
For more updates on Pakistan’s tour of South Africa, keep reading ReadScoops.com.
