WCL T20 2025 – Match 8 | England Champions vs South Africa Champions
Match & Venue Details
- Match: England Champions (EDC) vs South Africa Champions (SAC)
- Tournament: World Championship of Legends 2025 (WCL)
- Date & Time: July 24, 2025 | 9:00 PM IST
- Venue: Grace Road, Leicester
Pitch Report
- Nature: Batting-friendly; true bounce and pace make it ideal for stroke players.
- First Innings Average Score: 214
- Second Innings Average Score: 209
- Best Strategy: Teams prefer to bat first, but chasing sides are always in with a chance. Expect 180+ as a par total.
- Bowling: Pacers get some early movement; spinners may have an impact in the middle overs; overall, conditions favor batsmen.
- Weather: Cloudy with some risk of rain during the match; may assist seamers early on1.
Team Form & Key Players
England Champions (EDC)
- Recent Form: 1 point from 3 games, fifth in standings.
- Key Players:
- Eoin Morgan (c): Consistent form at the top; 69 runs in three innings.
- Stuart Meaker: 5 wickets in two games, economical.
- Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Moeen Ali: Reliable all-rounders.
- Batting Depth: Tim Ambrose, Ian Bell.
South Africa Champions (SAC)
- Current Leaders: 2 wins from 2, top of table.
- Key Players:
- AB de Villiers (c): Match-winner, 64 runs in two games at a blistering strike-rate.
- Aaron Phangiso: 5 wickets, economy under 6.
- Hashim Amla, Morne van Wyk, JP Duminy: Batting stability.
- Supporting Bowlers: Hardus Viljoen, Duanne Olivier/Imran Tahir.
Probable Playing XIs
| England Champions | South Africa Champions |
|---|---|
| Tim Ambrose (wk) | Hashim Amla |
| Ian Bell | Morne van Wyk (wk) |
| Eoin Morgan (c) | AB de Villiers (c) |
| Ravi Bopara | JJ Smuts |
| Samit Patel | Sarel Erwee |
| Moeen Ali | JP Duminy |
| Liam Plunkett | Jacques Rudolph |
| Ajmal Shahzad | Wayne Parnell |
| Stuart Meaker | Hardus Viljoen |
| Chris Tremlett | Duanne Olivier/Imran Tahir |
| Ryan Sidebottom | Aaron Phangiso |
Top Dream11 Picks & Fantasy Tips
Top Picks (Must-Haves)
- AB de Villiers: Star performer with bat, always a captain/vice-captain favorite1.
- Eoin Morgan: Reliable, can anchor or accelerate.
- Aaron Phangiso: In wickets, could be game-changer.
- Stuart Meaker: Among top wicket-takers for EDC.
- Samit Patel: All-round point potential.
Differential Picks
- Moeen Ali: Utility in all departments.
- JJ Smuts: Bowling all-rounder, value addition in fantasy leagues.
- Ryan Sidebottom/Chris Tremlett: Can exploit early movement if conditions are cloudy.
Captain & Vice-Captain Choices
- AB de Villiers (Captain) – Red-hot form, high ceiling.
- Eoin Morgan (Vice-Captain) – Experience and stability.
- Aaron Phangiso – Prolific wicket-taker, especially in the middle overs.
- Samit Patel – Useful with both bat and ball in these conditions.
- Morne van Wyk: Explosive at the top, can set the tone.
Suggested Dream11 Team
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Wicketkeeper | Morne van Wyk |
| Batters | AB de Villiers, Eoin Morgan, Ian Bell, Hashim Amla |
| All-rounders | Samit Patel, Moeen Ali, JJ Smuts |
| Bowlers | Aaron Phangiso, Stuart Meaker, Hardus Viljoen |
- Captain: AB de Villiers
- Vice-captain: Eoin Morgan
Fantasy Tips
- Go batsmen-heavy for this pitch; load up on top-order batters.
- Pick at least two all-rounders for extra point potential.
- Consider including a spinner or two for middle-over wickets.
- Monitor team updates & toss—adjust bowlers if rain or high humidity is forecast.
Quick Stat:
South Africa Champions have a 2-0 head-to-head record over England Champions in this competition, and are in better form coming into this match
Best of luck for your fantasy teams!
