Venue: Santarém Cricket Ground, Albergaria | Date & Time: 6:30 PM IST | 1:00 PM GMT | 2:00 PM LOCAL
The Final — Portugal’s Title Match
Based on all confirmed results and standings, Norway have qualified as the second finalist to face Portugal in the tri-series Final. This is Portugal’s reward for a dominant, unbeaten tournament campaign.
The Final context: In the group stage, Portugal beat Norway twice — by 12 runs in M3 (POR 190/3, NOR 178/8) and in M6 (NOR 126/9, close match). Norway have now played Portugal twice and lost both times. To win the Final, Norway must reverse a clear pattern.
Tournament Dominance — Portugal’s Achievement
Christopher De Freitas — 195 runs in the series (in 4-5 innings) — this is an extraordinary output:
- His 125 off 54 balls in M4 vs France (DLS win) is the series’ defining individual innings
- His 68 in M3 vs Norway was the foundation of Portugal’s 190/3
- He is playing his best cricket at home, on a surface he knows better than anyone
Jeremy Martins’ 7 wickets have been distributed across multiple opponents, showing his ability to take wickets against any batting lineup in this tournament.
Chad Potgieter’s 52 off 30 in M3 established him as Portugal’s most explosive batting option alongside De Freitas.
Sherman Vaz’s 4 wickets specifically against Norway in M3 — his bowling plan against their top order is proven.
Norway’s Path to Upsetting Portugal
For Norway to win the Final, they need three specific things to happen simultaneously:
1. Restrict Portugal to under 160: Portugal have posted 190/3, 207/4, 129/4 and other large scores. Their lowest total in this series was still competitive. Norway’s bowlers (Vinay Ravi, Irfan Mushtaq, Noman Safi) need a collective masterclass — specifically targeting Christopher De Freitas early. If De Freitas falls for under 20, Portugal’s total drops significantly.
2. Faisal Raza must deliver a 60+ innings: In both M3 and M6, Raza has been their most dangerous batter. His 48/27 in M3 came closest — but he needed 60 or more to cross the line with 12 runs needed from the last over. If he bats until over 16, Norway have a genuine chance.
3. The toss: Average first innings at Santarém: 151. Teams batting first win 60% of matches. If Norway win the toss, they may bat first to remove Portugal’s target-clarity advantage — forcing them to chase for the first time in this tournament.
Portugal T20I Tri-Series Final Prediction
- Predicted Winner: Portugal (68%)
Portugal are unbeaten, their squad depth (De Freitas 195 runs, Martins 7 wickets) is clearly superior, and they are playing at home.
Norway are the tournament’s second-best team and the Final will be more competitive than group results suggest — but Portugal’s structural advantages are too significant to overcome.
However: Cricket is unpredictable. If Faisal Raza scores 65+, Vinay Ravi takes 3/20, and Norway field first after winning the toss, the match changes completely.
Fantasy Tips — Portugal vs Norway (Final)
Captain: Christopher De Freitas (POR) — 195 series runs, 125* in M4. The series’ most dominant individual. In a Final, his motivation to perform at his best on home ground is overwhelming. Vice-Captain: Jeremy Martins (POR) — 7 wickets, also bats in middle order. His dual contribution in the biggest match of Portugal’s tri-series campaign is exactly the kind of player who earns highest fantasy returns. Differential: Faisal Raza (NOR) — 48 runs in M3 was the series’ best Norway batting performance. If he converts to 60+ in the Final, his points will be the largest differential surprise of the entire tournament.
POR:NOR ratio — 7:4
Broadcast: Willow TV (USA) | Cricbuzz/ESPNcricinfo live scoring | Cricket Portugal social media channels.
Also Read- France vs Norway