After 54 hard-fought encounters over a month, we've reached the much-awaited final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. South Africa and India lock horns in the final at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday, June 29.
I had my worst set of this edition of the T20 World Cup Fantasy as my punt to go all-out from the SA-AFG fixture backfired. The rain gods relented and the groundpersons' stellar job meant that India and England played out a full 20-over match, and I had minimal cover for that fixture in my team.
Total Points: 6338.
Global Rank: 85.
Nevertheless, it has been a fairly fruitful tournament for my team, and I'm looking to finish on a high in this 10th and final set with just one fixture.
Let's look into the Best Fantasy XI for Set 10 without further ado.
Transfer Deadline: 08:00 PM (IST) on Saturday, June 29, and 10:30 AM (local).
Best Fantasy XI for Set 10 - ICC Men's T20 World Cup Fantasy 2024
Wicketkeepers: Quinton de Kock (SA) ($8.5) vs IND.
Batters: Rohit Sharma (IND) ($10.5) vs SA, Suryakumar Yadav (IND) ($9.5) vs SA, and Tristan Stubbs (SA) ($8.5) vs IND.
All-rounders: Marco Jansen (SA) ($8) vs IND, Hardik Pandya (IND) ($9.5) vs SA, and Keshav Maharaj (SA) ($8) vs IND.
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh (IND) ($7.5) vs SA, Jasprit Bumrah (IND) ($10.5) vs SA, Kuldeep Yadav (IND) ($9) vs SA, and Anrich Nortje (SA) ($9) vs IND.
Booster Used: None.
Set preview
The two undefeated sides go head-to-head at Barbados and the team selection for this clash is pretty much the same as doing so for a single match on Dream11 and other fantasy sports platforms. There is plenty of scope for picking differentials, but missing out on a popular and well-owned player could also cost one heavily.
The venue has been more pacer-friendly this year, but given that it's the last match, there should be some wear and tear that brings the spinners into the game as well. Rain is expected to play a part in the match, but it shouldn't impact the result or reduce the overs by too much.
Team selection
I haven't had much success in selecting a full XI for an entire fixture, and when two strong teams face off, it just makes picking a team that much more difficult.
This venue isn't likely to be a batter-friendly one based on reports, and I'm limiting myself to selecting only one wicketkeeper and three batters. Quinton de Kock loves batting against India, and he has been their best batter in this World Cup, making him a shoo-in.
I've been playing musical chairs in selecting my Indian batters, and more often than not, I've gone with the wrong one. I'm backing Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma to come good today, but I won't be surprised if Kohli chooses this game to finally join the party.
Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj will be crucial to South Africa's chances of restricting the in-form Indian batting lineup, and I'm backing them to deliver with the ball and also contribute some runs with the bat. Hardik Pandya is a must-have and one of the best captaincy options as well.
Coming to the bowlers, Anrich Nortje joins Maharaj and Jansen as my Proteas bowling picks, although going for Rabada or Shamsi over either of the three wouldn't be a bad option. Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah have all been in top form for India and have a solid record against their opponents.
While this team is by no means final, I am unlikely to waver too much from this selection.
Captaincy: As of now, I'm leaning towards captaining Hardik Pandya, but my final decision will be based on the toss, team news, and pitch report.
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