ECC T10 2021 Final: England XI vs Belgium - Preview, predicted XIs, pitch report, weather forecast, match prediction and live streaming details
The final of the European Cricket Championship (ECC) 2021 will see England XI locking horns with Belgium at the Cartama Oval in Cartama, Spain, on Saturday. With two heavyweights facing off, a cracking contest could ensue.
England XI have been one of the most consistent sides in the ECC. After topping the points table in Group C, they continued their merry ways, topping the final group to cement their spot in the First Qualifier. The English side won a last-ball thriller against Belgium to seal their berth in the final.
Batting first, Belgium only managed 94 as England XI bowled brilliantly to knock over the opposition. Chasing an under-par total, England XI's top-order batters got off to good starts. But wickets in the middle overs meant the match going right down to the wire. Arthur Godsal scored two runs off the final delivery to eventually guide his side across the line.
Meanwhile, Belgium lost to England XI in the First Qualifier, but bounced back in the second to book their place in the final of the ECC. It was a solid performance from their batters, as they chased down a mammoth total set by Netherlands XI.
The Netherlands XI posted 121 on the board after being invited to bat first. It was an uphill task for the Belgium side, but their batters were up to the task. Aziz Mohammad, opening the batting, scored a fifty to help his team romp home with six wickets in hand.
They completed the chase with ten balls to spare, and will now look to repeat the same performance in the final of the competition.
Match Details
Match: England XI v Belgium, Final, European Cricket Championship (ECC) 2021.
Date and Time: October 8th 2021; Friday, 08:30 PM IST.
Venue: Cartama Oval, Cartama.
Weather Report
The temperature on Friday is expected to range between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius. There is no chance of rain, so one can expect a full game to be played on Saturday.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the Cartama Oval is a belter of a track. The batters enjoy batting on this surface, as the ball comes nicely onto the bat. We have seen high-scoring games so far in the competition, so a high-scoring final can be expected.
Predicted Playing XIs
England XI
England XI have kept their winning momentum intact throughout the competition. Their bowlers have done a fabulous job of restricting the opposition to manageable totals. Their batters need to be at their absolute best to help the team win the championship, though. Expect them to continue with their winning combination on Saturday in the ECC final against Belgium.
Predicted XI: Harrison Ward, Dan Lincoln (c), Alex Mellor, Andy Rishton, Tom Bevan, Sam Pearce, Zaman Akhter, Arthur Godsal, Rich Edwards, Alex Russell, Max Uttley.
Belgium
The Belgium side suffered a loss against England XI in the first qualifier, but bounced back in the second to book their place in the final. Their batters were brilliant that night, and will hope to continue their rich form in the final of the ECC. A change in their playing XI against England is highly unlikely.
Predicted XI: Muneeb Muhammad, Aziz Mohammad, Ali Raza (wk), Sherry Butt, Saber Zakhil, Sheikh Sheraz (c), Omid Rahimi, Waqas Raja, Khalid Ahmadzai, Murid Ekrami, Fahim Bhatti.
Match Prediction
The two heavyweights face off in the final of the ECC. England XI have looked sensational in the competition so far, and will look to go all the way. Belgium, despite losing the First Qualifier against England XI, will looking to bounce back in the final of the ECC.
However, England look a well-settled side, so it won't be a surprise if they lift the ECC 2021 title on Saturday by beating Belgium in the final of the competition.
TV and live streaming details
TV: N/A.
Live Streaming: Fancode.