Here we preview the opening day's action with team insights, players to watch, key battles and match predictions for Match 17-21!

Players to Watch

Rashid Khan - Temse Knight Riders

Rashid Khan has been a saving grace so far for Temse Knight Riders, providing hope with the ball.

Wahidullah Jabarkhel – Zwijndrecht Challengers

Wahidullah Jabarkhel brings an impressive combination of batting and bowling credentials. His bowling strike rate of 5.6 is the best among players involved in the tournament, while his unbeaten 94 from 32 balls for Antwerp against Royal Brussels remains the highest ECN score recorded by anyone in the Waasland field.

Arafat Afghan – Zwijndrecht Challengers

Arafat Afghan has already demonstrated his ability to produce devastating spells in ECN cricket. His career-best figures of 5/12 from two overs for Mechelen Eagles against Hornchurch are the best bowling figures recorded by any player taking part in Waasland 2026.

Squads

Temse Knight Riders: Said Khan, Darwish Abdulrahimzai, Khalid Ahmadi, Rashid Khan, Sanaullah Mamond, Ilyas Zaheer, Zekria Safi, Omid Rahimi, Saidhakim Khaksar, Ehsanullah Ibrahimkhel, Hanif Samadi, Arif Shinwari, Erfanullah Sadat, Majid Safi, Amrullah Ibrahimkhil, Hewad Rahimi, Hikmat Jabarkhail, Khalid Ahmadzai, Khalid Khugyani, Salarzei Wahedzaman, Salman Sadaat, Shirafzal Sharifi.

Zwijndrecht Challengers: Faisal Khaliq, Wahidullah Jabarkhel, Ainuddin Zakhel, Arafat Afghan, Majid Ali, Adam Herrington, Burhan Niaz, Amin Shah, Abdul Jabar Jabarkhail, Dominic Weinel, Harman Singh, Hijratullah Paktiwal, Irfan Pashai, Mansoor Mehboob, Max Revill, Sai Teepi, Waqas Raja, Zaki Shah.

Cricket Match Predictions* - PrePlay

Who will win the toss? – Temse Knight Riders

Who will win? – Zwijndrecht Challengers

Top Batter (Runs Scored) – Wahidullah Jabarkhel (Zwijndrecht Challengers), Said Khan (Temse Knight Riders)

Top Bowler (Wickets taken) – Arafat Afghan (Zwijndrecht Challengers), Rashid Khan (Temse Knight Riders)

Most Sixes – Wahidullah Jabarkhel (Zwijndrecht Challengers), Darwish Abdulrahimzai (Temse Knight Riders)

Player of the Match – Wahidullah Jabarkhel (Zwijndrecht Challengers)

Team Scores Batting first – Zwijndrecht Challengers 135+, Temse Knight Riders 115+

Match Handicap: Zwijndrecht Challengers

Players to Watch

Rashid Khan - Temse Knight Riders

Rashid Khan has been a saving grace so far for Temse Knight Riders, providing hope with the ball.

Ali Raza - Stekene Defenders

Ali Raza has led the way with the bat for Stekene Defenders so far, he has the capability to give a match winning performance alone.

Wahid Miyakhel - Stekene Defenders

Wahid Miyakhel leads in wickets, with some incredible figures, including an exceptional 3/32 against Zwijndrecht Challengers.

Squads

Temse Knight Riders: Said Khan, Darwish Abdulrahimzai, Khalid Ahmadi, Rashid Khan, Sanaullah Mamond, Ilyas Zaheer, Zekria Safi, Omid Rahimi, Saidhakim Khaksar, Ehsanullah Ibrahimkhel, Hanif Samadi, Arif Shinwari, Erfanullah Sadat, Majid Safi, Amrullah Ibrahimkhil, Hewad Rahimi, Hikmat Jabarkhail, Khalid Ahmadzai, Khalid Khugyani, Salarzei Wahedzaman, Salman Sadaat, Shirafzal Sharifi.

Stekene Defenders: Ali Raza, Sajid Safi, Abdullah Pashayi, Almas Shinwari, Asadullah Qais, Attaullah Khalil, Basir Hamidi, Imran Zazai, Israel Salarzai, Jahanzeb Gul, Mojib Shinwari, Noman Sarwan, Qasem Sabir, Saqib Hashemi, Sefat Shagharai, Sheraz Sheikh, Shir Ali Zazai, Wahid Miyakhel.

Cricket Match Predictions* - PrePlay

Who will win the toss? – Temse Knight Riders

Who will win? – Stekene Defenders

Top Batter (Runs Scored) – Said Khan (Temse Knight Riders), Ali Raza (Stekene Defenders)

Top Bowler (Wickets taken) – Rashid Khan (Temse Knight Riders), Wahid Miyakhel (Stekene Defenders)

Most Sixes – Darwish Abdulrahimzai (Temse Knight Riders), Ali Raza (Stekene Defenders)

Player of the Match – Ali Raza (Stekene Defenders)

Team Scores Batting first – Temse Knight Riders 115+, Stekene Defenders 130+

Match Handicap: Stekene Defenders

Players to Watch

Ali Raza - Stekene Defenders

Ali Raza has led the way with the bat for Stekene Defenders so far, he has the capability to give a match winning performance alone.

Wahid Miyakhel - Stekene Defenders

Wahid Miyakhel leads in wickets, with some incredible figures, including an exceptional 3/32 against Zwijndrecht Challengers.

Sherry Butt – Lokeren Super Giants

Sherry Butt is one of the most experienced players in the tournament, having already played 114 ECN matches. He has scored over 2,800 runs and struck 260+ maximos, leading the Waasland 2026 player pool in all three categories. His experience and ability to score quickly make him a major threat for Lokeren Super Giants.

Murid Ekrami – Lokeren Super Giants

Murid Ekrami gives Lokeren a proven wicket-taking option. His 60+ ECN wickets are the most among any player competing at Waasland 2026, and his previous experience could prove particularly valuable during the six-day tournament.

Squads

Stekene Defenders: Ali Raza, Sajid Safi, Abdullah Pashayi, Almas Shinwari, Asadullah Qais, Attaullah Khalil, Basir Hamidi, Imran Zazai, Israel Salarzai, Jahanzeb Gul, Mojib Shinwari, Noman Sarwan, Qasem Sabir, Saqib Hashemi, Sefat Shagharai, Sheraz Sheikh, Shir Ali Zazai, Wahid Miyakhel.

Lokeren Super Giants: Manpreet Sandhu, Saif Rehman, Sherry Butt, Paramjeet Singh, Murid Ekrami, Adnan Razzaq, Faisal Mehmood, Sultan Diwan Ali, Ansarullah Hamdard, Chethan Suvarna, Darwish Treziwall, Dileep Rathore, Emran Khan, Gagan Maan, Muhammad Sulaiman, Nishan Singh, PS Deepu, Tejinder Saran, Zoheeb Hussain.

Cricket Match Predictions* - PrePlay

Who will win the toss? – Stekene Defenders

Who will win? – Lokeren Super Giants

Top Batter (Runs Scored) – Ali Raza (Stekene Defenders), Sherry Butt (Lokeren Super Giants)

Top Bowler (Wickets taken) – Wahid Miyakhel (Stekene Defenders), Murid Ekrami (Lokeren Super Giants)

Most Sixes – Ali Raza (Stekene Defenders), Sherry Butt (Lokeren Super Giants)

Player of the Match – Sherry Butt (Lokeren Super Giants)

Team Scores Batting first – Stekene Defenders 125+, Lokeren Super Giants 145+

Match Handicap: Lokeren Super Giants

Players to Watch

Wahidullah Jabarkhel – Zwijndrecht Challengers

Wahidullah Jabarkhel brings an impressive combination of batting and bowling credentials. His bowling strike rate of 5.6 is the best among players involved in the tournament, while his unbeaten 94 from 32 balls for Antwerp against Royal Brussels remains the highest ECN score recorded by anyone in the Waasland field.

Arafat Afghan – Zwijndrecht Challengers

Arafat Afghan has already demonstrated his ability to produce devastating spells in ECN cricket. His career-best figures of 5/12 from two overs for Mechelen Eagles against Hornchurch are the best bowling figures recorded by any player taking part in Waasland 2026.

Emran Mamozai – Beveren Titans

Emran Mamozai enters the competition with the highest batting average in the player field. His consistency with the bat could make him a particularly important figure for Beveren Titans.

Ashiqullah Said – Beveren Titans

Ashiqullah Said will be one of Beveren's main bowling threats. He entered the tournament with an ECN economy rate of 8.4, the best among the participating player pool, and could play a crucial role in restricting opposition batters in the high-scoring T10 format.

Squads

Beveren Titans: Hadisullah Tarakhel, Rafiullah Alokzai, Fawad Shinwari, Shahudullah Otmanzai, Emran Mamozai, Saber Zakhil, Shafiullah Zakhel, Mohammad Noman, Ameenullah Aslami, Mirwais Sherzad, Bilal Mamundzai, Assadullah Momand, Abdul Qadeer Jabarkhil, Ashiqullah Said, Idrees Safi, Mohibullah Hotak, Osman Jabarkhil, Said Akbar Alokozai.

Zwijndrecht Challengers: Faisal Khaliq, Wahidullah Jabarkhel, Ainuddin Zakhel, Arafat Afghan, Majid Ali, Adam Herrington, Burhan Niaz, Amin Shah, Abdul Jabar Jabarkhail, Dominic Weinel, Harman Singh, Hijratullah Paktiwal, Irfan Pashai, Mansoor Mehboob, Max Revill, Sai Teepi, Waqas Raja, Zaki Shah.

Cricket Match Predictions* - PrePlay

Who will win the toss? – Beveren Titans

Who will win? – Zwijndrecht Challengers

Top Batter (Runs Scored) – Emran Mamozai (Beveren Titans), Wahidullah Jabarkhel (Zwijndrecht Challengers)

Top Bowler (Wickets taken) – Ashiqullah Said (Beveren Titans), Arafat Afghan (Zwijndrecht Challengers)

Most Sixes – Hadisullah Tarakhel (Beveren Titans), Wahidullah Jabarkhel (Zwijndrecht Challengers)

Player of the Match – Wahidullah Jabarkhel (Zwijndrecht Challengers)

Team Scores Batting first – Beveren Titans 140+, Zwijndrecht Challengers 145+

Match Handicap: Zwijndrecht Challengers

Players to Watch

Emran Mamozai – Beveren Titans

Emran Mamozai enters the competition with the highest batting average in the player field. His consistency with the bat could make him a particularly important figure for Beveren Titans.

Ashiqullah Said – Beveren Titans

Ashiqullah Said will be one of Beveren's main bowling threats. He entered the tournament with an ECN economy rate of 8.4, the best among the participating player pool, and could play a crucial role in restricting opposition batters in the high-scoring T10 format.

Sherry Butt – Lokeren Super Giants

Sherry Butt is one of the most experienced players in the tournament, having already played 114 ECN matches. He has scored over 2,800 runs and struck 260+ maximos, leading the Waasland 2026 player pool in all three categories. His experience and ability to score quickly make him a major threat for Lokeren Super Giants.

Murid Ekrami – Lokeren Super Giants

Murid Ekrami gives Lokeren a proven wicket-taking option. His 60+ ECN wickets are the most among any player competing at Waasland 2026, and his previous experience could prove particularly valuable during the six-day tournament.

Squads

Beveren Titans: Hadisullah Tarakhel, Rafiullah Alokzai, Fawad Shinwari, Shahudullah Otmanzai, Emran Mamozai, Saber Zakhil, Shafiullah Zakhel, Mohammad Noman, Ameenullah Aslami, Mirwais Sherzad, Bilal Mamundzai, Assadullah Momand, Abdul Qadeer Jabarkhil, Ashiqullah Said, Idrees Safi, Mohibullah Hotak, Osman Jabarkhil, Said Akbar Alokozai.

Lokeren Super Giants: Manpreet Sandhu, Saif Rehman, Sherry Butt, Paramjeet Singh, Murid Ekrami, Adnan Razzaq, Faisal Mehmood, Sultan Diwan Ali, Ansarullah Hamdard, Chethan Suvarna, Darwish Treziwall, Dileep Rathore, Emran Khan, Gagan Maan, Muhammad Sulaiman, Nishan Singh, PS Deepu, Tejinder Saran, Zoheeb Hussain.

Cricket Match Predictions* - PrePlay

Who will win the toss? – Lokeren Super Giants

Who will win? – Beveren Titans

Top Batter (Runs Scored) – Emran Mamozai (Beveren Titans), Sherry Butt (Lokeren Super Giants)

Top Bowler (Wickets taken) – Ashiqullah Said (Beveren Titans), Murid Ekrami (Lokeren Super Giants)

Most Sixes – Hadisullah Tarakhel (Beveren Titans), Sherry Butt (Lokeren Super Giants)

Player of the Match – Emran Mamozai (Beveren Titans)

Team Scores Batting first – Beveren Titans 145+, Lokeren Super Giants 140+

Match Handicap: Beveren Titans

© Cricket World 2026