Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20: Round 1, Elite Group A & B, Delhi vs Himachal Pradesh, Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Tips – Playing XI, Pitch Report & Injury Update

Match Details:

The Round 1 game of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019 between Delhi and Himachal Pradesh will be hosted by Motibaug Cricket Ground, Vadodara

The match starts at 9:00 AM local time (IST) (3:30 AM GMT).

Preview for Dream11 Fantasy:

Domestic heavyweights, Delhi looks to qualify for their knockouts as they face Himachal Pradesh on the final day of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20 league phase. After a slow start, Delhi did well with 18 points from eight games. Their opponents on Thursday, Himachal Pradesh has endured an inconsistent campaign in spite of having sufficient resources to compete against the big guns. Although they will be playing for pride, Himachal Pradesh isn’t ones to be taken lightly with a balanced squad in their midst.

Delhi’s bowling unit has done the trick for them with Indian international, Navdeep Saini leading the way. With sufficient batting strength in their possession, Delhi will fancy their chances against HP. With a place in knockout stages beckoning for Delhi, an entertaining game awaits from Vadodara on Thursday.

Weather Condition/Report:

Rain shouldn’t play spoilsport for this game with clear skies and hazy sunshine expected in Vadodara. A cloud cover of 31% will remain constant throughout the game while temperatures will be in the high 30s towards the end of the game.

Pitch Condition/Report:

Run-scoring is difficult here with none of the teams batting first crossing the 250-run mark in the tournament. Teams will prefer bowling first and restricting the teams to modest totals with ample turn on offer for the spinners to exploit.

Average first innings score: 171 (11 matches at the venue this season)

Record of chasing teams: Won – 6; Lost – 5

Injury and Availability News:

(Will be added when there is an update)

Probable Playing XIs for Dream11 Fantasy

Delhi:

Dhruv Shorey (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Nitish Rana, Himmat Singh, Anuj Rawat (WK), Pawan Negi, Manan Sharma,  Kunwar Bidhuri, Simarjeet Singh, Navdeep Saini, Lalit Yadav

Bench: Kunal Chandela, Kulwant Khejroliya, Vikas Tokas, Tejas Baroka, Hiten Dalal

Himachal Pradesh:

Prashant Chopra, Ankush Bains (C & WK), Sumeet Verma, Ankit Kalsi, Nikhil Gangta, Amit Kumar, Rishi Dhawan,  Mayank Dagar, Ayush Jamwal, Ankush Bedi, Kanwar Abhinay Singh

Bench: Arpit Guleria, Pankaj Jaiswal, Ekant Sen, Ankit Maini

Top Picks:

Nitish Rana is in the middle of a stellar run for Delhi. He is the highest in terms of runs and wickets for Delhi with 222 runs and 9 wickets. He has scored 139 runs in his last two innings against Punjab and Vidarbha. Along with five wickets to his name as well, Rana has emerged as a genuine match-winner for the capital side. He should be picked in your Dream11 Fantasy side.

Navdeep Saini has also enjoyed a decent tournament with nine wickets while providing early breakthroughs. Prashant Chopra is an India A regular and has already scored 219 runs at an average of 36.50 this season.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Captain – Shikhar Dhawan, Nitish Rana, Prashant Chopra

Vice-Captain – Rishi Dhawan, Navdeep Saini, Pawan Negi

Shikhar Dhawan’s international experience is key in what is a must-win game for Delhi.

Suggested Playing XI for Head to Head/Small Leagues for Dream11 Fantasy:

Keeper –Ankush Bains, Anuj Rawat

Batsmen – Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prashant Chopra, Nitish Rana (VC)

All-Rounders – Rishi Dhawan, Pawan Negi, Lalit Yadav

Bowlers – Navdeep Saini, Mayank Dagar, Ayush Jamwal

Suggested Playing XI for Grand Leagues/Mega Leagues for Dream11 Fantasy:

Keeper – Anuj Rawat

Batsmen – Nitish Rana, Dhruv Shorey, Shikhar Dhawan, Prashant Chopra (C)

All-Rounders –  Lalit Yadav, Rishi Dhawan, Manan Sharma

Bowlers – Navdeep Saini (VC), Mayank Dagar, Kanwar Abhinay

Expert Advice:

Given the nature of the pitch, all-rounders should prove to be a viable punt. Although Nitish Rana is not included in the all-rounders’ section and he bowls a few overs as well. Hence, it would be a great pick in your Dream11 Fantasy side.

Bowlers have dominated proceedings at this venue. So the teams are preferring chasing down targets rather easily in a couple of games. If Himachal Pradesh were to bat first, picking a minimum of three Delhi bowlers should do the trick.

Probable Winners:

Delhi is expected to get past Himachal Pradesh because of their recent run.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision