Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019: Group A, Railways vs Maharashtra: Dream11 Prediction, Playing XI Updates & Fantasy Cricket Tips - March 12th, 2019

Maharashtra and Railways face each other in the first match of Group A in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Tuesday with a win for the former confirming a place in the final for them. While Railways look to end an impressive campaign on a high, a win for Maharashtra would solidify their place at the top of the table in Group A.

With crucial points at stake in this mouth-watering clash, another closely fought match is in store at the Holkar Cricket Stadium.

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Squads to choose from:

Maharashtra:

Domnic Muthuswami, Rahul Tripathi, Naushad Shaikh, Ankit Bawne, Satyajeet Bachhav, Samad Fallah, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Swapnil Gugale, Divyang Himganekar, Rohit Motwani, Nikhil Naik, Vijay Zol, Vishal Gite, Hitesh Walunj, Yash Nahar, Manoj Ingale, Azim Kazi

Railways:

Prashant Gupta, Anureet Singh, Ashish Yadav, Prashant Awasthi, Gandhar Bhatawadekar, Mrunal Devdhar, Abhinav Dixit, Amit Chopra, Harsh Tyagi, Manjeet Singh, Amit Mishra, Ambikeshwar Mishra, Amit Paunikar, Pratham Singh, Krishnakant Upadhyay

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Playing XI Updates:

Railways:

Railways come into the match with nothing to lose and will hope to get the better of Gujarat, with Pratham Singh and Anureet Singh leading from the front in the batting and bowling departments. Harsh Tyagi has been fairly consistent for them with both bat and ball and will be one of their go-to players.

Possible XI: Mrunal, Pratham, Gandhar, Awasthi, Chopra, Paunikar(WK), Amit, Harsh, Anureet(C), Mishra and Manjeet.

Maharashtra:

Maharashtra have been fairly solid with bat and ball as the likes of Kazi and Samad Fallah have been sensational. India A regulars, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi, and Ankit Bawne form the backbone of this side, for whom Naushad Shaikh's explosiveness at the top of the order has complemented the aforementioned trio. They do enter this match as the firm favorites with a place in the final hanging in the balance.

Possible XI: Gaikwad, Tripathi (C), Bawne, Zol, Shaikh, Naik(WK), Kazi, Divyang, Muthuswami, Bachhav, and Fallah.

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Match Details:

Railways vs Maharashtra, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019, Super League, Group A

12th March 2019, 1:30 PM IST

Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore.

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Pitch Report

A competitive match is in store for us, with the pitch offering something for everyone. Pacers should enjoy the conditions with the new ball while spin could play a critical role in restricting either side to an under-par total. Batters will need to apply themselves and bat for longer periods if they are to succeed.

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Fantasy Tips and Suggestions

Wicket-keeper: Both Nikhil Naik and Paunikar bat in the lower-middle order with their ability to play the big shots in the death overs coming in handy. Either of them would be a worth-while option although Amit Paunikar should get the nod.

Batsmen: Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn't been at his best so far in the tournament and would be looking to go big against a formidable Railways bowling unit. Along with him, Pratham Singh and Rahul Tripathi are must-haves in the side with their records speaking for themselves.

All-rounders: Prashant Awasthi and Naushad Shaikh have been very good in the tournament for their respective sides, making them viable options for this contest.

Bowlers: Anureet Singh, Harsh Tyagi, Samad Fallah, and Divyang Himganekar are the ideal set of bowlers to have in the side with all of them in good wicket-taking form this campaign. Bhati is the highest wicket-taker this season and should pick a wicket or two along with the others.

Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn't been able to get himself going in spite of cameos at the top of the order. He should be backed to score some runs while Harsh Tyagi and Naushad Shaikh are also viable options to choose as captain.

Fantasy Suggestion #1: Amit Paunikar(WK), Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Pratham Singh, Naushad Shaikh, Prashant Chopra, Harsh Tyagi, Anureet Singh, Divyang Himganekar and Samad Fallah. Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad

Fantasy Suggestion #2: Amit Paunikar(WK), Ankit Bawne, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Pratham Singh, Naushad Shaikh, Prashant Chopra, Harsh Tyagi, Anureet Singh, Satyajeet Bachhav and Samad Fallah. Captain: Harsh Tyagi