South Africa take Australia on in the final T20I followed by the first ODI this week. At the other end of the planet, New Zealand look to whitewash India in the Test series as the second Test gets underway. For Moneyball fantasy managers, this is a good chance to build some credits.
Quinton de Kock
Country: South Africa
Match/Series: South Africa vs Australia
Quinton de Kock hit a match-winning half-century at Port Elizabeth as South Africa levelled the T20I series against Australia. As the series decider and the ODIs beckon, he remains South Africa's most potent threat at the top of the order. In his last six T20I innings, de Kock has 23 sixes and in five of the six matches, has struck at a rate of 140 or more.
Tim Southee
Country: New Zealand
Match/Series: India vs New Zealand, Tests
After struggling through the T20Is, Southee slowly gathered momentum in the ODIs and rushed through the Indian batting unit in the Tests to grab the Man of the Match award. The Kiwis seamer is a natural swing bowler who can move the ball both ways and trouble batsmen and did so with aplomb at Wellington. As the next Test beckons, Southee will be raring to build on his nine-wicket haul.
Rassie van der Dussen
Country: South Africa
Match/Series: South Africa vs Australia
If de Kock has been carrying South Africa, the other man to lead the charge has been Rassie van der Dussen. The middle-order batsman has piled on runs across formats since his Proteas debut and might be given more chances in the top-order this series. He strikes at over 130 in T20Is and averages 70-plus in ODIs and is a great pick for this series.
Trent Boult
Country: New Zealand
Match/Series: India vs New Zealand, Tests
If Southee has been outstanding, Boult has been equally good with his thinking and execution. The left-arm seamer has 261 Test wickets in 66 Tests and knows a thing or two about bowling in home conditions. Even as Wagner returns, New Zealand's swing bowlers will pose a bigger threat for India's technically inept batsmen. Boult could also switch to a more attacking line with Wagner returning to the starting line-up. All of this points at more wickets and more fantasy points for Boult.
Shai Hope
Country: West Indies
Match/Series: Sri Lanka vs West Indies, ODIs
Since the start of 2019, only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have more ODI runs than Shai Hope. The West Indian has flown under the radar but has five centuries - equal to Kohli - since 2019 and eight half-centuries. He averages a whopping 57.84 - better than Rohit and Kohli - in this time frame and is coming into this week on the back of another century in the first game of this series.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Marty Melville
