MO vs WEF Dream11 Prediction Today: Match 21, The Hundred 2026 – Match Preview, Pitch Report & Fantasy Cricket Tips
The excitement of The Hundred 2026 reaches its climax as Manchester Super Giants (MO) lock horns with Welsh Fire (WEF) in Match 21 at the iconic Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
With the knockout stages approaching rapidly, both teams find themselves at a crucial juncture in the tournament. Manchester Super Giants, led by Aiden Markram, will be eager to bounce back on home turf after suffering a heavy defeat in their previous fixture. Meanwhile, Phil Salt’s Welsh Fire enters this contest riding a wave of momentum following a comfortable victory over Southern Brave.
In this comprehensive guide, we bring you the ultimate MO vs WEF Dream11 Prediction Today, featuring detailed venue insights, player head-to-head records, likely playing XIs, pitch dynamics, and expert fantasy cricket team combinations for both Small Leagues and Grand Leagues.
Table of Contents
Match Details Overview
Before picking your fantasy team, here is a quick look at the essential match parameters:
| Parameter | Match Information |
| Match | Manchester Super Giants vs Welsh Fire (Match 21) |
| Tournament | The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026 |
| Date | Wednesday, August 5, 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST / 3:00 PM Local Time |
| Venue | Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester |
| Live Streaming & Broadcast | FanCode App, Star Sports Network |
Emirates Old Trafford Pitch Report & Weather Forecast
Pitch Report
The pitch at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, is historically known to offer a well-balanced contest between bat and ball.
- Pace & Bounce: Early on, the fresh white ball gets reasonable seam movement and carry, encouraging pace bowlers like Josh Tongue and Lockie Ferguson to hit hard lengths.
- Batting Conditions: Once batters navigate the initial 15–20 balls, the surface flattens out, allowing players to free their arms. The fast outfield ensures value for good shot execution.
- Spin Dynamic: As the match progresses into the middle overs, the surface turns slightly dry, giving spinners like Noor Ahmad and Rachin Ravindra significant grip and turn.
- Average Score: The average first-innings total in 100-ball cricket at Old Trafford ranges between 150 and 165 runs. Scores above 160 are considered highly competitive.
- Toss Strategy: Captains winning the toss generally prefer to bowl first, as dew during the second half can make chasing relatively easier.
Weather Forecast
The weather conditions in Manchester are expected to be pleasant for cricket, with temperatures hovering around 20°C to 22°C. Cloud cover will remain around 30% to 40%, giving early assistance to swing bowlers. Precipitation chances are low (below 20%), promising an uninterrupted 100-ball clash.
Team Form Analysis & Head-to-Head Stats
Manchester Super Giants (MO)
Manchester Super Giants are searching for consistency in their top order. Jos Buttler and Tim Seifert provide explosive opening potential, while skipper Aiden Markram holds the middle order together alongside Heinrich Klaasen. On the bowling front, Noor Ahmad remains their primary weapon in the spin department, supported by fast bowler Josh Tongue and seam-bowling all-round options.
Welsh Fire (WEF)
Welsh Fire boasts one of the most balanced squads in the 2026 edition. Matthew Short’s all-round masterclass in the previous game—scoring an unbeaten 60 and picking up key wickets—has given them immense confidence. With explosive power-hitters like Phil Salt and Joe Root, complemented by reliable bowling options like Sam Cook and Lockie Ferguson, Welsh Fire possesses the depth required to dominate away matches.
Head-to-Head Record
Over their history in The Hundred, the two franchises have played closely contested matches:
- Total Matches Played: 5
- Manchester Super Giants Won: 3
- Welsh Fire Won: 2
- No Result: 0
Probable Playing XI for MO vs WEF
Manchester Super Giants (MO) Probable XI
| Batter / All-Rounder | Role | Bowling Style |
| Tim Seifert | Wicketkeeper-Batter | N/A |
| Aiden Markram (C) | Batter / All-Rounder | Right-arm Off-break |
| Jos Buttler | Wicketkeeper-Batter | N/A |
| Heinrich Klaasen | Batter | N/A |
| Tom Moores | Batter | N/A |
| Leus du Plooy | Batter | Left-arm Off-spin |
| Liam Dawson | All-Rounder | Slow Left-arm Orthodox |
| Gus Atkinson | Bowler | Right-arm Fast-Medium |
| Noor Ahmad | Bowler | Left-arm Unorthodox (Wrist-spin) |
| Josh Tongue | Bowler | Right-arm Fast |
| Sonny Baker | Bowler | Right-arm Fast-Medium |
Welsh Fire (WEF) Probable XI
| Batter / All-Rounder | Role | Bowling Style |
| Phil Salt (C & WK) | Wicketkeeper-Batter | N/A |
| Matthew Short | All-Rounder | Right-arm Off-break |
| Joe Root | Batter | Right-arm Off-break / Leg-break |
| Rachin Ravindra | All-Rounder | Slow Left-arm Orthodox |
| Jordan Cox | Batter | N/A |
| Tom Kohler-Cadmore | Batter | N/A |
| Ben Kellaway | All-Rounder | Right-arm Off-break |
| Marco Jansen | All-Rounder | Left-arm Fast-Medium |
| Chris Woakes | Bowler | Right-arm Fast-Medium |
| Lockie Ferguson | Bowler | Right-arm Fast |
| Sam Cook | Bowler | Right-arm Medium-Fast |
Key Players to Watch & Must-Pick Fantasy Players
- Jos Buttler (MO): Old Trafford is Buttler’s home ground in domestic cricket. His ability to score rapidly in the powerplay and bat deep makes him an essential pick for any fantasy team.
- Matthew Short (WEF): Fresh off a Player of the Match performance (60* runs & 2 wickets), Short bats in the top order and bowls crucial overs in the middle phase.
- Aiden Markram (MO): Markram leads from the front. Scoring a fifty in the last match and providing handy off-spin bowling overs, he guarantees fantasy points through multiple avenues.
- Noor Ahmad (MO): His mystery spin can derail Welsh Fire’s middle order. Left-arm wrist spinners often thrive on Old Trafford’s surface.
- Sam Cook (WEF): Cook is a master of death-overs bowling, using clever variations and yorkers to pick up wickets in clusters.
C & VC Choice Strategy for Small & Grand Leagues
Selecting the right Captain (C) and Vice-Captain (VC) is crucial for securing top ranks in Dream11 contests.
- Small League / Safe Options:
- Aiden Markram (MO): High fantasy ceiling due to his dual role with bat and ball.
- Matthew Short (WEF): Peak form; contributes significantly in both departments.
- Jos Buttler (MO): Top-order explosive batter with extra wicketkeeping points potential.
- Grand League / Differential Options:
- Rachin Ravindra (WEF): Under-owned captaincy pick who can score big and turn the game with his left-arm spin.
- Noor Ahmad (MO): High-reward option if Manchester bowls first and picks up quick middle-order wickets.
- Lockie Ferguson (WEF): Raw pace can trigger a batting collapse during the powerplay and death overs.
Dream11 Team Combinations for Match 21
1. Small League / Head-to-Head Team (Safe Combination)
This team balances high-performing batters, top-order all-rounders, and death bowlers to ensure consistent fantasy performance.
| Category | Player Name | Team | Selection Rationale |
| Wicketkeeper | Jos Buttler | MO | Reliable top-order batter playing on home ground. |
| Wicketkeeper | Phil Salt | WEF | Explosive opener and captain who scores fast runs. |
| Batter | Joe Root | WEF | Anchor role, highly consistent in build-up overs. |
| Batter | Heinrich Klaasen | MO | Power hitter capable of finishing games strong. |
| All-Rounder | Aiden Markram (C) | MO | Top-order batter and primary off-spinner. |
| All-Rounder | Matthew Short (VC) | WEF | In-form all-rounder with recent match-winning form. |
| All-Rounder | Rachin Ravindra | WEF | Effective middle-order batter and handy bowler. |
| Bowler | Sam Cook | WEF | Death bowler who frequently picks up multi-wicket hauls. |
| Bowler | Lockie Ferguson | WEF | Express pace bowler who targets the stumps. |
| Bowler | Noor Ahmad | MO | Key mystery spinner who thrives in middle overs. |
| Bowler | Josh Tongue | MO | Good seam bowler effective with the new ball. |
2. Grand League / Mega Contest Team (High-Risk, High-Reward)
Designed to target top ranks in large contests by featuring key differential picks and captaincy shifts.
| Category | Player Name | Team | Selection Rationale |
| Wicketkeeper | Tim Seifert | MO | Differential top-order pick who can score quick runs. |
| Wicketkeeper | Phil Salt | WEF | Powerplay aggressor. |
| Batter | Heinrich Klaasen (C) | MO | High differential captaincy choice for high score potential. |
| Batter | Leus du Plooy | MO | Low-ownership middle-order accumulator. |
| All-Rounder | Aiden Markram | MO | Safe core player. |
| All-Rounder | Matthew Short | WEF | Essential all-round presence. |
| All-Rounder | Marco Jansen | WEF | Left-arm fast bowler who can hit big lower-order sixes. |
| Bowler | Noor Ahmad (VC) | MO | High-spin threat capable of multiple middle-over wickets. |
| Bowler | Gus Atkinson | MO | Express bowler who bowls hard lengths. |
| Bowler | Chris Woakes | WEF | Early swing bowler targeting powerplay wickets. |
| Bowler | Sam Cook | WEF | Premier death-over bowler. |
Expert Fantasy Cricket Winning Tips for Match 21
- Monitor Post-Toss Updates: Always re-evaluate your team once official playing XIs and toss results are confirmed. If a team fields an extra spinner, prioritize middle-over batters.
- Target Powerplay Batters: The 100-ball format awards points quickly to top-3 batters who capitalize on powerplay restrictions.
- Prioritize Death Bowlers: Bowlers executing bowling plans in the final 20 balls generally secure 2–3 wickets as batters hit out continuously.
- Manage Credit Balance: Balance high-value superstars with lower-cost options like Sonny Baker or Ben Kellaway to maintain team stability.
Match Prediction: Who Will Win Match 21?
While Welsh Fire comes in with strong winning momentum, Manchester Super Giants hold a distinct advantage playing in front of their home crowd at Old Trafford. Manchester’s middle-order power hitters (Buttler, Markram, Klaasen) combined with Noor Ahmad’s spin variations make them slight favorites to win this encounter.
- Match Winner Prediction: Manchester Super Giants (MO) – 55% Win Probability
Disclaimer: Fantasy sports involve an element of financial risk and can be addictive. Please play responsibly. The predictions, analysis, and team suggestions provided in this article represent the author’s editorial opinion and analytical judgment. Users should exercise their discretion when creating fantasy teams.
