Chattogram Challengers vs Sylhet Strikers, BPL 2023, Today Match Prediction

cgc vs syst Match Prediction & Analysis

Sylhet Strikers will be hoping to find their rhythm as they face Chattogram Challengers. In their last game, the Strikers finished with 92 for 9 batting first against Rangpur Riders.

Curtis Campher can be the game-changer for Chattogram Challengers in this match. His unbeaten 45 off 25 balls at number 5 pushed the Challengers to 168 in their last game.

The Strikers' top order is in trouble. There have been frequent collapses and it eventually led to the table-topper finishing with 92 for 9. 

Shanto and Tom Moores are key players in Sylhet who can get the team back on track. Mushfiqur Rahim in the middle order is an experienced batter who’s been dismissed for a duck in his last two appearances.

Though Mortaza, Amir, and Imad Wasim are reliable and consistent bowlers, they can’t lead the side to victory if the batters' poor run of form continues. Chattogram’s expensive bowling and lack of wicket-taking bowlers can affect their chances of winning here. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Chattogram Challengers Preview

Challengers replaced Usman Khan with Mehedi Maruf at the top. Irfan Sukkur kept wickets for the team as Chattogram played Fortune in their last match.

Nothing changed. This was the second change in the opening duo in two games. In the previous match, Khawaja Nafay had replaced Max O'Dowd as the Challengers were bowled out for 124 runs against Rangpur Riders.

A fifty from the captain Shuvagata Hom wasn’t enough to get the Challengers across the line while chasing 180 runs. However, the Challengers would take some positives from their last encounter against Fortune Barishal.

Firstly, Kurtis Campher stepped up as a finisher in the lower order. Later on, Nihaduzzaman picked 4 for 17 putting the Challengers on top. Hom’s men picked 7 wickets while defending a 169-runs target which was a commendable effort. 

Chattogram need their bowlers to finish for them as Campher did with the bat. The opposition’s batting isn’t in great form. And if the Challengers carry the bowling form in this match, they can have the upper hand.

Mrittunjoy Chowdhury and Hasan Rana will be the other key bowlers to lead the bowling effort from Chattogram. Afif Hossain, Shuvagata Hom, and Campher have the bigger responsibility of building the innings and also finishing it.

Chattogram Challengers Predicted Playing XI:

Max ODowd, Afif Hossain, Shuvagata Hom (c), Unmukt Chand, Irfan Sukkur (wk), Curtis Campher, Mehedi Maruf, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Nihaduzzaman, Mehedi Hasan Rana

Chattogram Challengers Actual Playing XI:

Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Nihaduzzaman, Usman Khan, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Max O Dowd, Afif Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Irfan Sukkur, Shuvagata Hom, Curtis Campher, Mehedi Maruf

Sylhet Strikers Preview

The table-toppers have a serious situation on their hands. Their batting has been inconsistent lately. Their scores in the last three outings were 92-9, 173-5, and 133-7 respectively.

The recent batting collapse came against Rangpur Riders. After their impressive knocks at 1 and 4 respectively, Shanto and Moores were made to open the innings against Riders. Both were back in the hut in the 3rd Over. The batting has increasingly relied on the lower order.

The Sixers were 7 down for 53 runs against the Comilla Victorians. From that point, Imad Wasim and Thisara Perera helped Sylhet to 133 runs. In the last match against Rangpur, the Sixers were 7 down for just 18 runs with both Perera and Wasim back in the hut.

Then, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mortaza added 48 runs for the 8th wicket. As the Sixers look to get back in form, Wasim and Perera will be crucial. The openers Max ODowd and Shanto also need to play some big knocks to set the Sixers on the way for a big total. 

The middle order is where the vulnerability lies. Hridoy, Hasan, and Rahim are the ones failing more often in the middle. Mohammad Amir, Mortaza, and Imad Wasim are the key bowlers in the Sylhet camp to watch out for.

Sylhet Strikers Predicted Playing XI:

Najmul Hossain Shanto, Zakir Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Tom Moores, Thisara Perera, Imad Wasim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Rejaur Rahman Raja, Mohammad Amir

Sylhet Strikers Actual Playing XI:

Mushfiqur Rahim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mashrafe Mortaza, Imad Wasim, Towhid Hridoy, Akbar Ali, Mohammad Amir, Ryan Burl, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Zakir Hasan, Thisara Perera

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

Spinners will enjoy these conditions. The pitch is slowish and the ball doesn’t come easily on the bat. The batters will find it difficult to play their strokes. The weather is expected to be clear with a high of 18 degrees Celsius.

Venue Details

The average 1st innings score at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium is 165 runs in domestic T20s. The boundaries are small and can be cleared with ease. That would need perfect timing which would be the biggest challenge for the batters on the slowish pitch here in Sylhet.

Toss: To Bowl

Teams batting first and second have won an equal number of games in the domestic T20s. But the team batting second had an advantage in T20Is with 7 wins from 8 matches. As it is a night match, batting first would be preferable for both teams.