Champions’ time to defend at home
GEARING UP FOR CHALLENGE 2016 World T20 winners Windies will be pitted against 50over champs England in Pool A. Ankit Kumar Singh profiles the group
Hosts and defending champions West Indies will look to reprise their amazing run in the last edition of Women’s World T20 in India where they beat Australia in Kolkata to win their maiden major international title in women’s cricket.
Eleven members of the 2016 winning team have been retained in the side. However, Stafanie Taylor-led side now faces the burden of expectations as well as the pressure of playing at home.
In 2018, the Caribbean women have played only eight T20Is and won only two. They will be especially disappointed with the way they squandered the lead of 2-0 against South Africa and let the visitors win the last two matches of the four-match series.
The team, though, is quite capable of raising their game and has a number of match-winners. The bowling has variety. While Shamilia Connell is the fastest bowler in the side and can dismantle any opposition with her pace, experienced tweaker Anisa Mohammed, who recently claimed a hat-trick in the T20Is, can run through sides. In batting, the Caribbean outfit will depend on skipper Taylor, Hayley Matthews, Natasha McLean and Deandra Dottin, who has two T20Is tons, to do the bulk of scoring.
The hosts take on Bangladesh on the opening day of the tournament before playing South Africa on November 14, Sri Lanka on November 16 and
England on November 18.
SQUAD: Stafanie
Taylor(c), Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney
Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle
Henry, Kycia Knight,
Hayley Matthews, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman
M- 107, W- 61, L- 40, T/NR-4/2 wickets at 10.73), left-arm spinner Nahida Akter (19 wickets at 17), off-spinners Salma Khatun (14 wickets at 22.35), who is also the captain of the side, and Khadija Tul Kubra (12 wickets at 19), performing exceptionally well this year. Their batswomen need to step up, though. In batting, the onus will be on Shamima Sultana and Fargana Hoque.
Squad: Salma Khatun(c), Rumana Ahmed, Jahanara Alam, Fargana Hoque, Khadija Tul Kubra, Fahima Khatun, Ayasha Rahman, Shamima Sultana, Nahida Akter, Panna Ghosh, Ritu Moni, Sanjida Islam, Nigar Sultana, Lata Mondal, Sharmin Akhter
WT20I RECORD
M- 54, W- 17, L- 37, T/NR-0 Sri Lanka have played all five editions of the Women’s World T20 so far without progressing beyond the first round even once. Qualifying for the knockouts will be a big task. In the current year they have won only three out of 13 T20Is. But they can take confidence from the way they stretched India despite a 4-0 rout in the five-match T20 series at home.
Led by Chamari Atapattu, the outfit has right mix of experience and youth.
Squad: Chamari Atapattu (c), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika Kumari, Eshani Lokusuriyage, Dilani Manodara, Yasoda Mendis, Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Shashikala Siriwardene, Rebeca Vandort, Sripali Weerakkody.
WT20I RECORD
M- 84, W- 22, L- 58, T/NR-4