Sri Lanka will face off against Thailand in the 3rd Quarter-Final of the ongoing 19th Asian Games women’s cricket event. The match is scheduled to take place at the ZJUT Cricket Field, Hangzhou, on the 22nd of September, 2023, at 6:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Both Sri Lanka and Thailand earned a direct ticket to the Quarter-Final of the women’s cricket event at the 19th Asian Games. The two teams are in-form and high on confidence, with Sri Lanka having stunned England in an away series with a 2-1 win, while Thailand finished as runners-up in the ICC Asia Qualifier.
Squads:
Sri Lanka – Chamari Athapaththu (C), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Anushka Sanjeewani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Hasini Perera, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Achini Kulasooriya, Inoshi Fernando
Thailand – Naruemol Chaiwai (C), Sornnarin Tippoch, Nattaya Boochatham, Chanida Sutthiruang, Nannapat Koncharoenkai, Natthakan Chantham, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Rosenanee Kanoh, Phannita Maya, Thipatcha Putthawong, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Suwanan Khiaoto, Nanthita Boonsukham, Kanyakorn Bunthansen
Players to watch out:
Chamari Athapaththu
The 33-year-old all-rounder in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), in 117 outings with the bat, has piled on 2598 runs and struck 39 times in 62 bowling outings. With an 80* against New Zealand and scores of 55 and 44 in successive games against England, Chamari has established herself as a prominent face in world cricket, if not already.
Inoka Ranaweera
The 37-year-old all-rounder, in 75 T20I appearances, has scalped 85 wickets, maintaining an economy rate of 5.84, and has recorded the best figures of 4/7. Inoka has had her share of bad games but has always made a quick turnaround. In the 3-match T20I series against both New Zealand and England, Inoka finished with 4 wickets and kept her economy rate in check as well.
Natthakan Chantham
The 27-year-old has racked up 1645 runs at an average of 28.36 from 75 T20I outings and has registered the highest score of 88*. In the lead-up to the Games, featuring in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier, Natthakan consistently chipped in with runs, scoring the highest of 54* and a string of starts.
Nattaya Boochatham
The 36-year-old all-rounder in T20Is, in 52 innings, has been handy with the bat, contributing 551 runs, and has taken as many as 109 wickets from only 75 bowling outings. Fresh from a stellar run at the ICC Qualifier, Sri Lanka would want to see off Nattaya because she is in top form, having bagged 18 wickets from 6 innings in the ICC tournament.
Pitch:
The 22 yards at the ZJUT Cricket Field, Hangzhou, favor the batters, offering them a friendly surface to bat on. However, the track also benefits the bowlers, particularly the pacers, with ample assistance to exploit, as evidenced by the average score in the 130s.
Weather:
The temperature is forecasted to be around 22°C, with humidity levels at 89% and light winds. There is also a high chance of rain expected during match hours, which could result in delayed starts and regular interruptions if the skies don’t clear.
Fantasy playing XI:
Nannapat Koncharoenkai, Anushka Sanjeewani, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Natthakan Chantham, Nilakshi de Silva, Chamari Athapaththu, Nattaya Boochatham, Kavisha Dilhari, Thipatcha Putthawong, Inoka Ranaweera, Oshadi Ranasinghe
Match details:
Date – September 22, 2023
Time – 6:30 AM IST
Venue – ZJUT Cricket Field, Hangzhou
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on Sony Liv and televised on the Sony Sports Network.