TON vs VAK 21st Match Prediction

TON vs VAK Team Previews

Toronto Nationals

Toronto Nationals have overall been a poor side in the tournament but they have a chance to make amends. If they can register a big enough win here, they will qualify for the playoffs, knocking Vancouver Knights in the process. They are currently placed at the fifth spot with five points and a net run-rate of 0.224. 

They last played in a rain-curtailed match, which coincidentally was also against Montreal Tigers. The match prior to theirs, between Brampton Wolves and Mississauga Panthers, was abandoned due to the rain. The second match was also impacted by the wet outfield at TD Cricket Arena, resulting in a delayed start and a six-overs-per-side contest.

Winning the toss, Toronto Nationals' captain, Hamza Tariq, chose to field first, sending Montreal Tigers to bat. Their bowlers failed to hit the mark and that was all that the Tigers needed. The Nationals were eventually left to chase a tall total of 78 in six overs.

Faheem Ashraf provided a much-needed breakthrough for the Nationals in the fifth over, dismissing Waseem, who scored a quick 24 off 13 balls, including one boundary and two sixes. He was the only bowler to take a wicket for the Nationals.

Chasing 78 in six overs, the Nationals' openers struggled to emulate Lynn and Waseem's aggressive batting. Opener Darren Bravo, who was pretty slow right throughout, chose to retire out at the end of the fourth over with the team's score at 36. His partner, JJ Smit, who did a little better, followed suit a couple of balls later.

Captain Hamza Tariq and hard-hitting all-rounder Sikandar Raza attempted a brief partnership, but they couldn't stage a miracle as the Nationals succumbed to a 23-run defeat. With that dominant victory, Montreal Tigers solidified their top position in the GT20 standings, while Toronto Nationals remained in fourth place. Following results dropped the Nationals down to the fifth spot. 

Toronto Nationals have not really lived up to the expectations given the team they have on-paper. They have excellent players that can even take on the best and if they can play to their potential, getting past them is going to be very difficult. 

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Vancouver Knights

The arrival of Mohammad Rizwan has not only pumped new life in the Vancouver Knights’ camp and campaign, he has also inspired the rest of the players to contribute as well. We have seen that in the results they have posted in their last couple of matches and Rizwan was the key pillar in both of those. As it currently stands, Vancouver Knights are placed at the fourth spot and a win here can potentially take them to the second spot. A loss, however, may well knock them out of the competition. 

They are coming off a sensational win in their previous match as they defeated Montreal Tigers by a massive margin. Their match kicked off with the Knights asking Montreal Tigers to bat first. The Knights’ bowlers were exceptional from the word go as they ensured Tigers faced a tough challenge. Tigers’ innings got off to a nightmarish start as they lost key wickets early on, including Chris Lynn, in the opening over, which set the stage for quick dismissals of Dilpreet Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, and Srimantha Wijeyeratne.

Thanks to the disciplined bowling right throughout, the Tigers found it hard to build momentum. The Vancouver Knights' bowlers, led by Reuben Trumpelmann and Junaid Siddique, had an exceptional spell, taking three wickets each and dismantling the middle and lower order of the Tigers, limiting them to a paltry total of 99.

In response, the Vancouver Knights faced an early hiccup with the dismissal of Fakhar Zaman. However, Mohammad Rizwan and Corbin Bosch displayed tremendous composure, showcasing their excellent form as they confidently guided the Vancouver Knights to victory, comfortably achieving the target at 103/1. Both batsmen appeared to be in a league of their own, untroubled throughout the majority of their innings.

All in all, Vancouver Knights always had an excellent team on paper but it took the arrival of Mohammad Rizwan to gel the team together. He has already scored a couple of half-centuries back to back and will hold the key in this upcoming match. If he and the rest of the players can continue to contribute as they have done in the last two matches, If that happens, Toronto Nationals will have their work cut out.