With two weeks of the Indian T20 League in UAE gone by, we now have a clearer idea of which teams and players are well-versed with and are exploiting the conditions in the Gulf nation.
If you are looking to shake-up your fantasy team, we have a few suggestions that could fetch you plenty of points this coming week:
Faf Du Plessis – Chennai
Faf has been on a roll this season and is Chennai’s top-scorer with 282 runs in five matches. The South African has often been the lone warrior with the bat for his side and has consistently delivered throughout the season.
WINTAGE YELLOVE! 🦁💛#WhistlePodu #WhistleFromHome #Yellove #KXIPvCSK pic.twitter.com/ebmiJSeU79
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) October 4, 2020
Opening the innings with Shane Watson, the South African has been anchoring the innings to perfection this season and is among those in the hunt to win the Orange Cap. With Chennai taking on Kolkata and Bangalore this week, who are among the weakest bowling sides in the league this season, Du Plessis could be a huge addition to your side.
Shubman Gill – Kolkata
Another opener who has found his feet this season is Kolkata’s Shubman Gill. The young batsman played a terrific knock on a tough surface to guide Kolkata to victory over Hyderabad and has since been consistently among the runs for his side.
Hey @YUVSTRONG12, like our Shub-man's bat? 😋#KKRHaiTaiyaar #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/9vjfoEyLM3
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) October 2, 2020
With 152 runs in four matches, Gill is just outside the top 10 run-scorers in the league this season. Kolkata will be in action against Chennai, Punjab and Bangalore this week – three teams who have been prone to leaking runs. Expect Gill to score runs aplenty.
Jofra Archer – Rajasthan
He’s curbing runs with the ball and piling them on with the bat. Jofra Archer is as close to the perfect all-rounder as Rajasthan could have hoped for.
Current Mood. #RCBvRR | #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily pic.twitter.com/8KdOwQooAa
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) October 3, 2020
The 25-year-old Englishman has been sensational so far this season, having picked four wickets in four matches at a brilliant economy rate of 6.75. What makes his economy rate unbelievable is the fact that Rajasthan have played two of their four matches at Sharjah, where the average first inning total is well above 200. With the bat, Archer has struck 62 runs at a mammoth strike rate of 248. He’s faced 25 balls and hit eight sixes, a scarcely believable record.
Archer is among the early contenders for MVP and should be in your team.
Devdutt Paddikal – Bangalore
Outshining Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers is an impossible task, but youngster Devdutt Paddikal has made light-work of it so far.
The stylish opener has scored three fifties in his first four matches in the Indian T20 League and has looked comfortable in a batting line-up that features three of the greatest batsmen presently active in Kohli, de Villiers and Aaron Finch.
Passion. Purpose. Progress. #Grateful😇 pic.twitter.com/M7bUTRceND
— Devdutt Padikkal (@devdpd07) October 3, 2020
While the superstar trio being the aggressor, Padikkal has been the anchor, which is evident from his rather modest strike rate of 134.88, but Bangalore has often been heavily reliant on Kohli and de Villiers to carry the batting load and to see a young star shining so bright has been a breath of fresh air.
All that aside, Padikkal is consistent, scores plenty and should be in your fantasy team.
James Pattinson – Mumbai
When Lasith Malinga opted to sit the year out, Mumbai’s think-tank turned to James Pattinson to replace him in the playing XI and the Australian has certainly exceeded all expectations so far this season.
Inch-perfect yorkers ➕ Sharp bouncers ➕ Crucial wickets of Pooran and Sarfaraz 👌
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) October 2, 2020
How impressive was Pattinson last night?#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #MI #Dream11IPL #KXIPvMI pic.twitter.com/heGPdXe84t
Barring a disastrous performance against Bangalore at Sharjah, Pattinson has been economical and has picked up a wicket at least in each of the other four matches. Bowling in the powerplay and at the death, Pattinson has conceded more than eight runs an over only once in his five appearances and is Mumbai’s leading wicket-taker with seven, one shy of the league-high eight.
Pattinson is quick but has a deceptive slower ball that has fetched him wickets and he will continue to be among those as he will be Mumbai’s go-to option in the powerplay and at the death.
If wickets are what your team craves for, Pattinson is your man.
If you wish to raise the stakes further, SportsAdda has even more to offer!
