ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Fantasy: Best Fantasy XI for Set 3 | T20 World Cup Fantasy Tips
Set 3 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Fantasy begins with South Africa's tussle with Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York on Monday, June 10.
Set 2 has been a mixed bag so far, with opportunities for a couple of big hauls missed, but with Pakistan and Scotland yet to play their second fixture, it could still turn out to be a good outing.
The third set sees the USA finish their group stage with two matches in the space of 48 hours. Bangladesh also plays twice, with Nepal and Uganda the two teams without a fixture.
Without further ado, let's look at the best Fantasy XI for Set 3 of the T20 WC Fantasy 2024.
Transfer Deadline: 08:00 PM (IST) on Monday, June 10, and 10:30 AM (local).
Best Fantasy XI for Set 3 - ICC Men's T20 World Cup Fantasy 2024
Wicketkeepers: Jos Buttler (ENG) ($9) vs OMA and Andries Gous ($6) vs IND, IRE.
Batters: Steven Taylor (USA) ($5.5) vs IND, IRE, Travis Head (AUS) ($9.5) vs NAM, Towhid Hridoy (BAN) ($7.5) vs SA, NED, and Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) ($7.0) vs PNG.
All-Rounders: Shakib Al Hasan (WI) ($8.5) vs SA, NED.
Bowlers: Mustafizur Rahman (BAN) ($8.5) vs SA, NED, Ottneil Baartman (SA) ($5.5) vs BAN, Mohammad Amir (PAK) ($8.5) vs CAN, and Ali Khan (USA) ($6) vs IND, IRE.
Booster Used: Fantastic Fours.
Set Preview
Bangladesh and the USA play twice in Set 3, with both teams not having easy fixtures. Bangladesh face a stiff South Africa test in New York before taking on the spirited Netherlands in the Caribbean. The USA will take on India in New York before going up against Ireland in Florida.
Both teams enter this set with plenty of confidence, with Bangladesh bringing down arch-rivals Sri Lanka and the USA registering a memorable Super Over win against Pakistan.
Other fixtures to target include Afghanistan's clash with Papua New Guinea and Australia's clash with Namibia. Sri Lanka's battle against Nepal and Pakistan's match-up with Canada are ones to keep an eye on as well.
Team Selection
This is a hard game to pick a team for because of the Booster I've played. The SL-NEP match, the PAK-CAN, and the SA-BAN ones are all games where plenty of wickets could be taken, but with the Fantastic Fours booster in play, it does make sense to pick an extra batter or two.
I've picked three players each from Bangladesh and the USA, and I'll start with the hosts. Andries Gous has been in stellar form so far and USA's No. 3 is arguably their best boundary hitter and a potential captaincy option. I've also kept the faith in Steven Taylor over Aaron Jones, and I'm counting on him to play a big knock in one of the two fixtures.
Lastly, the experienced Ali Khan will be key for the USA bowling against two quality oppositions in India and Ireland.
Coming to Bangladesh, Mustafizur Rahman is a must-have while Shakib Al Hasan has rarely disappointed in Fantasy cricket, regardless of the format.
The other position is a bit more tricky to fill, but the in-form Towhid Hridoy could be the answer. He was their best batter against Sri Lanka, and he's likely to be the most attacking one aside from Liton Das. He's their best bet for smashing the most boundaries, which is crucial for this Booster.
Coming to the other picks, I'm backing Ottneil Baartman to carry on his good form against Bangladesh, with the Proteas having an excellent record against them. I'm also expecting Mohammad Amir to be among the wickets when Pakistan takes on Canada, as he was unlucky to end up with only one against the USA.
Travis Head will face a side wearing Blue hues for the first time this World Cup when the Aussies square off against Namibia, and he is their best boundary-hitter, and could potentially rack up the points if he gets off to a good start.
Ibrahim Zadran has started this tournament brilliantly alongside Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and against PNG, I expect the Afghan stroke-maker to add another half-century to his tally. Lastly, Jos Buttler is a safe and secure pick, and with his side not in a position to afford any more slip-ups, Buttler should be at his best and is a must-have with the boundary-related booster.
While I'm fairly sure about most of my picks, the temptation to bring in Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, or Nuwan Thusara for Sri Lanka's must-win match against Nepal exists.
Captaincy: It's tough to select a captain in this Set as barring Mustafizur Rahman, there's no real standout pick from either the USA or Bangladesh. Andries Gous' boundary-hitting prowess makes him the leading candidate for now, with the reliable Shakib Al Hasan as another possible pick.