Pithoragarh Hurricanes and Nainital SG Pipers will go head-to-head in the curtain-raiser of the inaugural season of the Uttarakhand Women’s Twenty20 (T20) League at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Dehradun. The game is scheduled for 11:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST) on the 18th of September 2024.
Squads:
Pithoragarh Hurricanes – Neelam Bisht (C), Raghavi Bist, Neelam Bharadwaj, Safina, Jyoti Giri, Anjali Kathait, Preeti Bhandari, Muskan Kumari, Karuna Shety, Ankita Shah, Bhoomi Umar, Yashika Baunthiyal, Ananya Mehra, Nandina Kaushik, Ritika Chauhan
Nainital SG Pipers – Ekta Bisht (C), Kanchan Parihar, Megha Saini, Sweta Verma, Amisha Bahukhandi, Gunjan Bhandari, Radha Chand, Kanak Tapraniya, Vaishali Tulera, Dipika Chand, Pramila Rawat, Tanya Kanaujiya, Manisha Kunwar, KM Aarti, Priya
Players to watch out:
Raghvi Bist
The 19-year-old all-rounder in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy last year accumulated 112 runs from 9 innings, with a strike rate of 101.81, while in 10 bowling outings, she scalped 6 wickets, maintaining an economy rate of 5.37. Fresh off a successful ‘A’ team tour of Australia, earning her a place in the extended World Cup squad, it will be watched how she fares in this competition.
Neelam Bisht
The 28-year-old leg-spinner, averaging 12.70 and maintaining an economy rate of 4.53, struck 10 wickets from 8 outings in the 2023 Senior Women’s T20 Trophy. Neelam is a crafty spinner and has enjoyed success in district and domestic games over the past few years and can be banked upon for breakthroughs. She is also a valuable contributor lower down the order, being handy with the bat.
Kanchan Parihar
The 22-year-old keeper-batter, from 8 outings in the 2023 Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, added 117 runs to the tally at an average of 19.50, with a strike rate of 96.69, and registered the highest score of 42*. Kanchan had a notable domestic season last summer, time and again stepping up with important knocks and leading the scoring. She is a reliable batter and will be counted on to anchor the innings.
Ekta Bisht
The 38-year-old bowling all-rounder in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy last season posted 71 runs from 7 innings, at a strike rate of 140.57, while taking 15 wickets from 10 outings, at an economy rate of 4.66. Ekta was a standout across tournaments last domestic season, and given her success and experience, she can be relied upon for all-round efforts.
Pitch:
The center strip at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is relatively balanced, with an average score in the 130s. While conditions are conducive to batting, the wicket also offers assistance to both pacers and spinners, as reflected in the average score.
Weather:
Despite cloudy skies, the conditions are pleasant for cricket in Dehradun, as the chances of rain are minimal. The temperature is forecasted to hover around 27°C, with light winds and a humidity of 81%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Preeti Bhandari, Kanchan Parihar, Jyoti Giri, Nandina Kaushik, Neelam Bisht, Radha Chand, Raghvi Bist, Gunjan Bhandari, Ekta Bisht, Safina, Tanya Kanaujiya
Match details:
Date – September 18, 2024
Time – 11:30 AM IST
Venue – Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Dehradun
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.