MICT vs DSG Dream11 prediction: 3 differentials you could pick in today’s SA20 match – January 23, 2024
MI Cape Town (MICT) and the Durban Supergiants (DSG) will lock horns in the 16th match of SA20 2024 at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday, January 23.
Both teams enter the game on the back of defeats. MICT were beaten by 59 runs by the Paarl Royals, with Bjorn Fortuin's three-wicket haul clipping Cape Town's wings early on in their chase of 163 on a tricky surface to bat on. Debutant Nuwan Thushara's spell was one of the few positives for MICT from the defeat as they remain in fourth place.
DSG sit one spot above MICT with three wins in five matches, but back-to-back losses have hurt their momentum a bit. The most recent of those defeats came at the hands of the SunRisers Eastern Cape, who chased down 160 despite losing half their side for only 97, with Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen punishing some average death-bowling from DSG.
This is a crucial match concerning the overall standings as both teams will be desperate for victory. On that note, let's look at the top three Dream11 differentials for this contest.
#3 Liam Livingstone (ALL, MICT)
Liam Livingstone's questionable form has been an area of concern for MI Cape Town this season, with the English all-rounder scoring only 61 runs across four matches at a poor average of 15.25. While he did pick up some useful wickets in the first couple of matches, he's unlikely to bowl on seamer-friendly surfaces.
Livingstone is one of the most dangerous T20 batters, and he's unlikely to remain in such poor form for much longer. Newlands usually is a good batting venue as the innings progresses, and if Livingstone takes some time to settle down at the crease before playing his shots, a really big score is on the cards for him, especially against the non-threatening DSG death bowlers.
For the first time this season, his ownership has entered the differential zone, and Dream11 players shouldn't miss out.
#2 Naveen-ul-Haq (BOWL, DSG)
Naveen-ul-Haq has filled the void left by Richard Gleeson in DSG's playing XI, and even though he was taken for runs by the SunRisers Eastern Cape batters in the last match, he remains a wicket-taking bowler.
Naveen usually bowls one over late in the powerplay, one in the middle overs, and two at the death, giving him plenty of opportunities to pick up wickets, especially at the death and in the last over of the powerplay. He has plenty of variations and tricks up his sleeve and having played 151 T20s, he also possesses a ton of experience for a 24-year-old.
He's owned by a very small percentage of Dream11 players, who could profit hugely from selecting him.
#1 Nuwan Thushara (BOWL, MICT)
Another Sri Lankan bowler with a slingy action, Nuwan Thushara shone on his SA20 debut for MICT. He bowled a stellar spell of 2/27 against the Paarl Royals, even as the rest of the bowling unit had a hard time, with a dropped catch costing him a third wicket.
Thushara has a very accurate yorker, and that helps him get most of his wickets by trapping the batter LBW or by getting them bowled. This helps fetch useful bonus points for the dismissal. Thushara also bowled two overs with the new ball, before returning to the bowling crease late in the innings in the death overs, allowing him to bowl at the two most wicket-taking phases in the game.
This makes him one of the best Dream11 assets in this match. But despite his efforts in the last encounter, he remains a differential pick with regard to his ownership.