Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019: Group B, Karnataka vs UP: Dream11 Prediction, Playing XI Updates & Fantasy Cricket Tips - March 9th, 2019

Uttar Pradesh are back in action as they face a fearsome Karnataka side in the first Group B match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 on Saturday. UP do not have the services of Suresh Raina for this match but still possess a well-balanced side, led by Akshdeep Nath and will be looking to get one over Karnataka, who weren't able to get past the might of Mumbai on Friday.

With a number of quality players on either side, here are a few tips to help you pick your Dream11 team for this highly anticipated clash.

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Squads to choose from:

Karnataka:

Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Manoj S Bhandage, KC Cariappa, Shreyas Gopal, Rohan Kadam, V Koushik, Abhimanyu Mithun, Prasidh Krishna, Sharath BR, Krishnamurthy Siddharth, Luvnith Sisodia, Jagadeesha Suchith, Vinay Kumar

UP:

Akshdeep Nath, Ankit Rajpoot, Aryan Juyal, Shubham Chaubey, Priyam Garg, Mohit Jangra, Mohsin Khan, Suresh Raina, Samarth Singh, Saurabh Kumar, Shiva Singh, Rinku Singh, Upendra Yadav, Yash Dayal, Nalin Mishra, Bobby Yadav, Ankit Chaudhary, Zeeshan Ansari

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Playing XI Updates:

Karnataka:

Continuity is key in such tournaments as Karnataka are likely to field the same side that faced Mumbai in their opening encounter. Karnataka are blessed to avail the services of the likes of Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Manish Pandey and Vinay Kumar as they enter the match as the firm favorites.

Their bowling has been spot on with youngsters, Prasidh Krishna and Kousik in good form along with leg-spinner, Shreyas Gopal. Rohan Kadam is one to look out for with the opener ranking amongst the top run-scorers in the competition this year.

Possible XI: Agarwal, Kadam, Nair, Pandey(C), Sharath(WK), Bhandage, Vinay, Suchith, Gopal/Suchith, Prasidh and Kousik.

UP:

Yash Dayal and Ankit Choudhary should return to side as UP start their Super League campaign this year. Opener, Samarth Singh has been in very good form with 317 runs so far with the likes of Akshdeep Nath and Rinku Singh also among the runs regularly. In the bowling department, Saurabh Kumar has been impressive with 12 wickets to his name, while Ankit Rajpoot and Mohsin form one good new ball pair to deal with Karnataka's batting unit.

Possible XI: Akshdeep (C), Samarth, Priyam, Upendra(WK), Rinku, Ankit Choudhary, Saurabh, Ankit Rajpoot, Mohsin Khan, Shubham/Shiva Singh and Yash Dayal.

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Match Details:

Karnataka vs Uttar Pradesh, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019, Super League, Group B

9th March 2019, 1:30 PM IST

Holkar Cricket Ground, Indore

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Pitch Report:

A competitive match between bat and ball is set to commence at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. Pacers have enjoyed bowling here with swing and pace on offer while there are plenty of runs on offer as well for the batsmen, who need to apply themselves as the match proceeds. Anything around 150 could be a match-winning total on this surface considering the strength of both bowling attacks.

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Fantasy Tips and Suggestions:

Wicket-keeper: With Upendra Yadav and Aryan Juyal fighting it out for the wicket-keeper spot in the UP line-up, Sharath is the more safer option with the Karnataka keeper in good form also. His glove work is also quite tidy and that should bring vital points to his fantasy points tally.

Batsmen: Samarth Singh has been UP's standout batsmen, making him a must-have in the side alongside Mayank Agarwal and Rinku Singh. Samarth has scored in excess of 300 runs so far and should be backed the continue his good run of form. One of Manish Pandey and Rohan Kadam should suffice in rounding off the batting department.

All-rounders: Akshdeep Nath's promotion to the top of the order has seen him excel alongside Samarth Singh. He should be a great selection to the team while the likes of Saurabh Kumar and Vinay Kumar are also viable options to choose.

Bowlers: Prasidh Krishna has grown in leaps and bounds over the past year and is one of the most consistent white-ball bowlers in the domestic circuit. He should be one of the first names on the fantasy team sheet along with the likes of Ankit Rajpoot and Kousik. If included for the match, Shreyas Gopal can also be a handy option to have in the side.

Captain: The usual suspects, Mayank Agarwal and Akshdeep Nath, are the prime candidates for captaincy with their ability to take the game away from the opposition up front evident in past matches.

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Fantasy Suggestion #1: BR Sharath(WK), Mayank Agarwal, Rohan Kadam, Samarth Singh, Rinku Singh, Vinay Kumar, Saurabh Kumar, Akshdeep Nath, Ankit Rajpoot, Prasidh Krishna and V. Kousik. Captain: Mayank Agarwal

Fantasy Suggestion #2: BR Sharath(WK), Mayank Agarwal, Manish Pandey, Samarth Singh, Vinay Kumar, Saurabh Kumar, Akshdeep Nath, Ankit Rajpoot, Mohsin Khan, Prasidh Krishna and Kousik. Captain: Akshdeep Nath