We have two extremely contrasting matches this week with India taking on Sri Lanka in T20Is and Ireland and West Indies in a face-off in ODIs. For Nostragamus fantasy managers, this is a tricky week as identifying the right players from three new-look sides (Sri Lanka, Ireland and West Indies) could be a challenge. Here we give a little nudge in the right direction.
KL Rahul
Country: India
Match/Series: India vs Sri Lanka, T20I
KL Rahul is said to be in direct competition with Shikhar Dhawan for a place in the T20I side this series but the reality is that Rahul has been in a better form for India in the format. His last few scores in T20Is speak of a player who has consistency and panache required to nail the format. In 2019, Rahul made scores of 59, 47, 20, 15, 8*, 52, 62, 11 and 91 in T20Is. The Karnataka opener has a terrific average of 43.76 in T20Is and has hit two hundreds in addition to eight half-centuries.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa
Country: Sri Lanka
Match/Series: India vs Sri Lanka, T20I
Flamboyant left-hander, Bhanuka Rajapaksa isn't a known name in International cricketing circles yet, but the left-hander had a terrific series against Pakistan recently where he made a lasting impression with his 77 in the second T20I. He had been pushed down the order in the last few games against Australia, but Rajapaksa is likely to slot in at the top against India this series. He comes on the back of a terrific Bangladesh Premier League where he shone for Cumilla Warriors.
Kusal Perera
Country: Sri Lanka
Match/Series: India vs Sri Lanka, T20I
A strong left-handed batsman with a slew of horizontal bat shots, Kusal Perera is a valuable addition in most T20 teams. In the last few matches against India in T20s, Perera has had a good run of form. He made a 77 in 37 balls at Indore (venue of the 2nd T20I) in 2017 and a 66 in 37 balls at Colombo in 2018. Perera should be a handy x-factor pick this week in your fantasy team.
Mark Adair
Country: Ireland
Match/Series: West Indies vs Ireland, ODIs
A seemingly innocuous medium pacer, Mark Adair has proved to be quite handful against top batting line-ups of late. In the Lord's Test against England, Adair made an impression but in ODIs, he has been even more eye-catching. His last few figures in the format suggest he is a natural wicket-taker with the ball - 2/53, 0/52, 4/73, 3/71, 4/19. While Adair has been expensive, his wicket-taking abilities should keep fantasy players interested in him.
Nicholas Pooran
Country: West Indies
Match/Series: West Indies vs Ireland, ODIs
Pooran has played only 19 ODIs to date. He has, however, been a revelation with 728 runs coming at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 110.13 in the format. In his last knocks in ODIs, Pooran has made 89, 75, 29*, 21 and 67, an indication of the red-hot form he is in at the moment. Pooran's extraordinary ability to grab the game by the scruff of its neck makes him a must-have in your fantasy team, particularly against a team like Ireland.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Noah Seelam
