Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019, Round 5, Tamil Nadu vs Himachal Pradesh: Dream11 Prediction, Playing XI Updates & Fantasy Cricket Tips

As part of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group B fixtures, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh face each other in what is a do-or-die game for both teams, stuck in the middle of the table.

Tamil Nadu eked out a one-run win against Gujarat, which has firmly propelled them into the qualification scenario while Ankush Bains' fifty against Bihar, barely kept them in the race. With this match holding a lot of importance for both teams in the qualification race, this promises to be a thriller of a match between some of India's best pitted against each other.

Squads to choose from:

Tamil Nadu:

Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar, V Athisayaraj Davidson, Murugan Ashwin, NS Chaturved, Hari Nishanth, Baba Indrajith, N Jagadeesan, Jagatheesan Kousik, M Mohammed, T Natarajan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Tanwar, R Vivek, Ravi Kumar Rohith, Murali Vijay, Srikkanth Anirudha

Himachal Pradesh:

Ankush Bains, Sumeet Verma, Kanwar Abhinay Singh, Akshay Chandran, Prashant Chopra, Mayank Dagar, Rishi Dhawan, Nikhil Gangta, Gurvinder Singh, Pankaj Jaiswal, Ayush Jamwal, Ankit Kaushik, Ankit Maini, Nitin Sharma, Ekant Sen

Playing XI Updates:

TN:

Murali Vijay and S. Anirudha made the side against Gujarat, which Tamil Nadu won by a solidarity run. Both of them are expected to keep their place in the side while Sai Kishore's tidy spell also warranties his place. Washington Sundar has been the driving force for the Tamil Nadu side, who have won back-to-back matches after a disappointing loss in the first round of fixtures. Hari Nishanth could face the sack with Shahrukh Khan available to them.

Possible XI: Vijay, Nishanth/Shahrukh, Indrajith, Chaturved, Jagadeesan (WK), Sundar, R. Ashwin(C), Anirudha, Mohammed, Tanwar and Kishore.

Himachal Pradesh:

No changes are expected of HP after a complete performance saw off Bihar in the previous round. Ankush Bains scored a timely fifty, which holds him in good stead as they aim to get one over a formidable TN side. Rishi Dhawan and Mayank Dagar were brilliant with the ball, with economical spells coupled with a few wickets typifying their performance. Rajasthan Royals batsmen, Prashant Chopra is one to look out for with the opener due for a big score.

Possible XI: Bains(C&WK), Chopra, Verma, Maini, Sen, Dhawan, Sharma, Dagar, Singh, Jamwal and Abhinay.

Match Details:

Tamil Nadu vs Himachal Pradesh, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019, Round 5, Group B

27th February 2018, 10:00 AM IST

Pithwala Stadium, Surat

Fantasy Tips and Suggestions:

Wicket-keeper: Former India U-19 player, Ankush Bains rediscovered his mojo with an affirmative fifty against Bihar and should be backed to put in another telling performance at the top of the order. The lack of form puts off Jagadeesan's selection, although he could be a brave option to go by.

Batsmen: Prashant Chopra, Murali Vijay, Baba Indrajith and Ankit Maini are the ideal set of batsmen to have in the side. Chopra and Vijay are two of the most consistent openers in the domestic circuit and will be key to their respective sides at the top of the other. Ekant Sen is also a handy option to have and could slot in for Ankit Maini.

All-rounders: Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin are must haves in the side with both of them in great form for Tamil Nadu. Along with former India all-rounder, Rishi Dhawan, both of them should be the first names on the fantasy team sheet, around whom the team is to be structured.

Bowlers: Both Mayank Dagar and Ayush Jamwal were brilliant with the new ball and are great picks to have in the side, along with Abhishek Tanwar. One of Mohammed and Sai Kishore should fit the bill as well, with both of them capable of picking a wicket or two.

Captain: Washington Sundar is the preferred option for captain for this superlative all-round ability while the likes of Prashant Chopra and Baba Indrajith are also amongst the possible Prashant Chopra has been good in patches with a big one seemingly around the corner, making him a viable option.

Fantasy Suggestion #1: Ankush Bains (WK), Baba Indrajith, Prashant Chopra, Ankit Maini, Washington Sundar, Rishi Dhawan, Ravi Ashwin, Abhishek Tanwar, M. Mohammed, Mayank Dagar and Ayush Jamwal. Captain: Washington Sundar

Fantasy Suggestion #2: Ankush Bains (WK), Baba Indrajith, Murali Vijay, Ankit Maini, Prashant Chopra, Washington Sundar, Rishi Dhawan, Abhishek Tanwar, Sai Kishore, Ayush Jamwal and Mayank Dagar. Captain: Prashant Chopra