Sharja, Oct 5 (UNI) Six-time winners Australia and inaugural champions England play their first matches at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 on Saturday, October 5, as the tournament’s group stage continues.
Australia commence their campaign with a potential tricky match-up against a Sri Lanka outfit that lost to Pakistan in their tournament opener, while England take on a Bangladesh side high on confidence following a first-up victory over Scotland.
Reigning champions Australia easily dispatched Sri Lanka in their most recent encounter at last year’s T20 World Cup and will be confident of doing similar this time around.
It was Megan Schutt that led the way for Australia on that occasion with an excellent four-wicket haul, and the experienced Australia pacer will once again play a crucial role here against a strong Sri Lanka top-order.
That quality top-order failed to flatter in Sri Lanka’s tournament opener against Pakistan, but the likes of Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama are sure to bounce back quickly and be among the runs.
Sri Lanka are likely to include a bevy of spin bowling options to try and quell Australia’s deep batting line-up, and the conditions expected in Sharjah might provide assistance for the slower bowlers if the opening two games at the tournament are anything to go by.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy said, “You don’t come here to defend a title; that’s not what a World Cup is about; you come here to win it, so we’re here with that approach, and I’m excited to get underway. Our pool, as you can see here, is quite a tricky one. Got to get past a lot of these teams to be able to lift the trophy and it’s a challenge we’re excited for.”
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu said, that “We are coming with the underdog tag all the time, so we don’t have any pressure. We keep it simple. I have a very young team … we’ve been playing really good cricket the last 16 months.”
Squads:
Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Anushka Sanjeewani, Harshitha Madhavi, Nilakshika de Silva, Inoka Ranaweera, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Sachini Nisansala, Vishmi Gunaratne, Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana
England cruised to a seven-wicket (DLS) triumph over Bangladesh the last time these two teams met at a T20 World Cup back in 2018, but it may be a bit closer this time around with the Asian team high on confidence following a first-up victory over Scotland.
Bangladesh registered an impressive 16-run triumph over the Scots in the tournament opener on Thursday and will have an advantage on England knowing they have already had some experience in the tricky Sharjah conditions.
If Bangladesh can match the all-round effort they displayed against Scotland then England will have their hands full in this contest, although Heather Knight’s side have plenty of match-winners in their line-up that are capable of performing well.
Spin duo Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn are sure to bowl well, while attacking opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge will likely play her shots right from the opening over to try and give England the advantage.
Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty said, “We have always said from Bangladesh that we have to create momentum and then we will move forward with that momentum. Now it seems like we are going to dream of doing something bigger and similarly, the fans and family who support us in Bangladesh are dreaming that we can do something better than that.”
England captain Heather Knight said, “I think captaincy is always a constant challenge. I don’t think you need that freshness as a captain. You’ve always been challenged in different ways and trying to learn little tricks and grow in everything you do. I’ve got through a few coaches as well, so that kind of helps freshen things up and obviously, the team’s constantly evolving.”
Squads:
Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani, Disha Biswas
England: Heather Knight (c), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Sophia Dunkley, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey, Amy Jones (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Linsey Smith, Freya Kemp, Dani Gibson, Bess Heath.
