Brampton Wolves vs Toronto Nationals, Global Canada T20 League 2019, Match 12: Preview, predictions, likely XIs

Table-toppers Brampton Wolves will host fifth-placed Toronto Nationals for Match 12 of the 2019 Global Canada T20 League, at CAA Centre, Brampton. While Brampton – hosts of the entire tournament – have won all 3 of their matches, Toronto have won 1 and lost 2.

Brampton started their tournament with a sound thrashing of Montreal Tigers. After Ish Sodhi (4-0-8-5) bowled out Montreal for 101, Lendl Simmons and George Munsey took just 6.4 overs to chase it down. They have subsequently beaten both Edmonton Royals by 27 runs and Winnipeg Hawks by 7 wickets.

Sodhi may lead the wickets tally in the tournament, but with 81 runs at a strike rate of 203 and 4 wickets at 6.90 an over, Shahid Afridi is also a threat to contend with.

Toronto, on the other hand, had lost the tournament opener by 8 wickets, to defending champions Vancouver Tigers. They beat Edmonton by 2 wickets but lost to Winnipeg Hawks by 3 wickets. In the last match, Umar Ghani ran a single off the last ball to hand out Toronto their second defeat.

Toronto may be at fifth place, but they have played a match fewer than each of Vancouver, Montreal, and Winnipeg. A win here will push their cause significantly.

Head to head

This is Brampton’s first Global T20 season. They have not played Toronto Nationals till now.

Key players

Ish Sodhi (Brampton Wolves): Sodhi has taken 10 wickets in the tournament, at least 4 more than anyone else. His average (5.60) and economy rate (5.09) are significantly better than anyone else’s. Another impressive spell here will push Brampton towards invincibility in the tournament.

Chris Green (Toronto Nationals): This roving off-spinner, who has now played for teams in five different countries, has played just two matches here – but has picked up 3/33 and 2/40. He is also a reasonable hitter down the order.

Likely XIs

Brampton Wolves: Lendl Simmons (wk), George Munsey, Colin Munro (c), Nitish Kumar, Babar Hayat, Shahid Afridi, Rohan Mustafa, Wahab Riaz, Ish Sodhi, Cecil Pervez, Zaboor Khan.

Toronto Nationals: Rodrigo Thomas, Chirag Suri, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Yuvraj Singh (c), Kieron Pollard, Manpreet Gony, Chris Green, Ravinderpal Singh, Mark Montfort, Salman Nazar, Jeremy Gordon.

Prediction

Brampton Wolves to keep their unbeaten run going.