Welcome to our latest blog on the GameDay Squad Global Cricket Championship, where we bring you the highlights and standout performers from rounds 19 to 20. As the competition nears the end of the Super Eights, several players have already made their mark, delivering exceptional performances and racking up impressive GDS Fantasy Points. Let's dive into the best squads and top performers for each round, showcasing the best wicket-keepers, batsmen, all-rounders, and bowlers. You will also find a sneak preview on who we think might be good selections for round 21 to 22.
GDS Squad Round and Top Performers
Round 19
WKT - Shai Hope (West Indies) - 118 GDS Fantasy Points
WKT/BAT Quinton de Kock- (South Africa) - 85 GDS Fantasy Points
WKT/BAT - Harry Brook (England) -84 GDS Fantasy Points
WKT/BAT - David Miller (South Africa) - 55 GDS Fantasy Points
AR - Roston Chase (West Indies) - 80 GDS Fantasy Points
AR - Andre Russell (West Indies) - 74 GDS Fantasy Points
AR - Liam Livingstone (England) - 44 GDS Fantasy Points
AR - Moeen Ali (England) - 35 GDS Fantasy Points
BWL - Jofra Archer (England) - 74 GDS Fantasy Points
BWL - Keshav Maharaj (South Africa) - 63 GDS Fantasy Points
BWL - Alzarri Joseph (England) & Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) - 47 GDS Fantasy Points
Shai Hope - Wicket Keepers - West Indies
Shai Hope played one of the best innings of the T20 CWC as he went onto score 82 runs off 39 deliveries. With Brandon King's injury, Hope was given his shot at the top of the order. After this performance against the USA, I wouldn't be surprised if the West Indies keep him opening the batting for the remainder of the tournament. Next up the West Indies have South Africa in their last match of the Super Eights and if they win, they will progress through to the Semi-Finals. South Africa have a very good bowling attack and Hope might not have the same success as he did against the USA. He should be considered as a starter for round 21 and might even be considered as a player of difference with the likes of Pooran, Salt, QDK and Buttler all likely to be available starting options.
Round 20
WKT - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan) - 88 GDS Fantasy Points
WKT/BAT - Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan) - 65 GDS Fantasy Points
WKT/BAT - Virat Kohli (India) - 56 GDS Fantasy Points
WKT/BAT - Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh) - 51 GDS Fantasy Points
AR - Gulbadin Naib (Afghanistan) - 107 GDS Fantasy Points
AR - Hardik Pandya (India) - 92 GDS Fantasy Points
AR - Glenn Maxwell (Australia) - 91 GDS Fantasy Points
AR - Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) - 53 GDS Fantasy Points
BWL - Kuldeep Yadav (India) - 83 GDS Fantasy Points
BWL - Pat Cummins (Australia) -79 GDS Fantasy Points
BWL - Naveen-ul-Haq (Afghanistan) - 76 GDS Fantasy Points
Gulbadin Naib - All-Rounder - Afghanistan
Gulbadin Nabi had a man of the match performance against Australia. He had figures of 2/20 from his four overs as he helped Afghanistan to a well-deserved victory. Naib has featured in the squad of the round on three occasions, twice because of his bowling and the other was because of his batting. With his next match up against Bangladesh, he can certainly be considered as a starting option. Personally, I like other players to start at the AR position for round 22 but I can also see the player of difference appeal he can offer if selected.
GDS Top 10 Wicket-Keepers (only includes players that are in Super Eights)
Shai Hope - West Indies - 73.5 GDS Fantasy Points
Rahmanullah Gurbaz - Afghanistan - 66.3 GDS Fantasy Points
Rishabh Pant - India - 59.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Nicholas Pooran - West Indies - 56.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Andries Gous - United States of America - 55.8 GDS Fantasy Points
Quinton de Kock - South Africa - 47.5 GDS Fantasy Points
Phil Salt - England - 45.6 GDS Fantasy Points
Monank Patel - United States of America - 42.5 GDS Fantasy Points
Jos Buttler - England - 42.4 GDS Fantasy Points
Johnson Charles - West Indies - 35.3 GDS Fantasy Points
GDS Top 10 Batsman (only includes players that are in Super Eights)
Ibrahim Zadran - Afghanistan - 45.5 GDS Fantasy Points
David Warner - Australia - 41.7 GDS Fantasy Points
Harry Brook - England - 39.4 GDS Fantasy Points
Travis Head - Australia - 39.3 GDS Fantasy Points
Aaron Jones - United States of America - 39.2 GDS Fantasy Points
Suryakumar Yadav - India - 32.4 GDS Fantasy Points
David Miller - South Africa - 32.2 GDS Fantasy Points
Towhid Hridoy - Bangladesh - 31.7 GDS Fantasy Points
Rohit Sharma - India - 31.6 GDS Fantasy Points
Rovman Powell - West Indies - 27.5 GDS Fantasy Points
GDS Top 10 All-Rounders (only includes players that are in Super Eights)
Hardik Pandya - India - 75.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Marcus Stoinis - Australia - 69.5 GDS Fantasy Points
Rashid Khan - Afghanistan - 58.5 GDS Fantasy Points
Andre Russell - West Indies - 54.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Glenn Maxwell - Australia - 47.5 GDS Fantasy Points
Gulbadin Naib - Afghanistan - 44.3 GDS Fantasy Points
Shakib Al Hasan - Bangladesh - 40.7 GDS Fantasy Points
Roston Chase - West Indies - 38.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Axar Patel - India - 35.6 GDS Fantasy Points
Harmeet Singh - United States of America - 35.6 GDS Fantasy Points
GDS Top 10 Bowlers (only includes players that are in Super Eights)
Fazalhaq Farooqi - Afghanistan - 68.3 GDS Fantasy Points
Arshdeep Singh - India - 68.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Kuldeep Yadav - India - 66.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Jasprit Bumrah - India - 64.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Pat Cummins - Australia - 62.3 GDS Fantasy Points
Tanzim Hasan Sakib - Bangladesh - 62.2 GDS Fantasy Points
Tabraiz Shamsi - South Africa - 61.0 GDS Fantasy Points
Adam Zampa - Australia - 59.5 GDS Fantasy Points
Rishad Hossain - Bangladesh - 57.7 GDS Fantasy Points
Anrich Nortje - South Africa - 54.2 GDS Fantasy Points
GDS Team to Beat - Round 21
England vs USA
West Indies vs South Africa
WKT - Jos Buttler (England)
WKT/BAT - Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)
WKT/BAT - Phil Salt (England)
WKT/BAT - Quinton de Kock (South Africa)
AR - Andre Russell (West Indies)
AR - Marco Jansen (South Africa)
AR - Aiden Markram (South Africa)
AR - Moeen Ali (England)
BWL - Alzarri Joseph (West Indies)
BWL - Jofra Archer (England)
BWL - Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
Player in focus - Quinton de Kock
QDK hasn't really performed all that well in the last six months but has had back-to-back fifties and is starting to hit form at the right time for South Africa. South Africa are playing their next match against the West Indies at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and opening batsmen are averaging 31.6 points at this venue. This is one of only two venues that openers are averaging 30+ points at, the other being Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium. There are many good players available at the WKT and WKT/BAT positions for this round and going by QDK's last two innings, he is a must start for me.
GDS Team to Beat - Round 22
Australia vs India
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh
WKT - Rishabh Pant (India)
WKT/BAT - Virat Kohli (India)
WKT/BAT - Travis Head (Australia)
WKT/BAT - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan)
AR - Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
AR - Marcus Stoinis (Australia)
AR - Hardik Pandya (India)
AR - Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
BWL - Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afghanistan)
BWL - Tanzim Hasan Sakib (Bangladesh)
BWL - Rishad Hossain (Bangladesh)
Player in focus - Fazalhaq Farooqi
I believe Fazalhaq Farooqi has a great match up in must win match against Bangladesh. Bangladesh have struggled to get their innings going in most of the matches this tournament and have only once put on 10+ runs for the first wicket. In the power play they are losing an average of two wickets each match. With Farooqi being the tournament leading cricket taker with 15 wickets, I think we may see him take a wicket or two within the power play. The India vs Australia match will be played at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, and this has been the worst venue for bowlers to score points at. With many good bowlers and batsmen from Australia and India, I'll be avoiding the bowlers in this match. I believe the bowlers in the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh match can have more success as the top orders from both teams have been rather shaky at times this tournament.
