On January 28, 2025, at 3:30 AM IST, Warner Park in St Kitts will host the much-awaited T20I series opener between West Indies Women and Bangladesh Women. The attention now turns to the shorter format following the hosts’ tough 2-1 victory in the ODI series.
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With a formidable team that includes Deandra Dottin, Qiana Joseph, and Afy Fletcher, the West Indies Women, captained by Hayley Matthews, come in as the favourites. After missing out on a direct qualification for the World Cup, Nigar Sultana’s Bangladesh Women will want to make amends.
Despite having a mixed record in their last five games (W-L-W-L-L), the West Indies Women’s victory in the T20 World Cup semifinals strengthens their T20 credentials. However, Bangladesh Women have struggled (L-W-L-L-L), and they must improve and step up.
Squads:
West Indies women’s cricket team:
Hayley Matthews (C), Shemaine Campbelle, Mandy Mangru, Qiana Joseph, Deandra Dottin, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, Zaida James, Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharack, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Nerissa Crafton, Jannillea Glasgow, Ashmini Munisar
Bangladesh women’s cricket team:
Nigar Sultana (C), Sharmin Akhter, Fargana Hoque, Fahima Khatun, Sultana Khatun, Shorna Akter, Murshida Khatun, Marufa Akter, Sobhana Mostary, Nahida Akter, Dilara Akter, Tej Nehar, Lata Mondal, Rabeya Khan, Fariha Islam, Shanjida Akther Maghla
Players to watch out:
Hayley Matthews:
The impact of 26-year-old West Indies captain Hayley Matthews with the ball and bat is incredible. She has taken 105 wickets in 104 games and scored 2564 runs in 104 innings with a strike rate of 113.85 in T20Is. Leading from the front, Matthews has been at her best with both bat and ball. She is a match-winner because of her explosive batting and rewarding off-spin.
Deandra Dottin:
The 35-year-old experienced all-round from the West Indies, in her T20 international career has amassed 2894 runs and claimed 71 wickets at an economy rate of 6.52. Dottin is one of the most dangerous all-rounders in this team because of her ability to break partnerships with her medium pace and accelerate with the bat.
Shorna Akter:
The 18-year-old is a rising all-around player from Bangladesh. She has scored 284 runs at a strike rate of 84.77 in 32 games during her T20 international career and also struck 13 wickets. The youthful all-rounder has been Bangladesh’s X-factor, often delivering in both areas, particularly with the ball in the middle overs.
Nahida Akter
The 24-year-old left-arm spinner has taken 107 wickets from 94 international T20s, making her Bangladesh’s go-to bowler in pivotal situations. She contributes significantly to the lower order with the bat, frequently scoring important runs under duress. She is an invaluable asset due to her skill and dependability, particularly on slower wickets where her spin bowling causes issues for opposing hitters.
Pitch:
Both pacers and spinners have equal support on the Warner Park, St Kitts, pitch, which provides a fair bat-ball match. Early on, the surface gives fast bowlers some movement, but as the game goes on, spinners can extract turn. Shot selection will be important because batting won’t be simple and making strokes may be difficult. A competitive total would necessitate patient accumulation rather than direct aggression, as evidenced by the average score of 135 here.
Weather:
It is predicted that St. Kitts will see cloudy conditions with a temperature of 24.8°C and an 84% humidity level. Early on, the cloudy weather might help the bowlers, while chasing might be a little simpler in the second innings due to possible dew.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Hayley Matthews, Nigar Sultana, Deandra Dottin, Fargana Hoque, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shorna Akter, Afy Fletcher, Marufa Akter, Nahida Akter, Karishma Ramharack
Match Details:
Date: January 28, 2025
Time: 3:30 AM IST
Venue: Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
Broadcast: In India, the game will be live streamed on FanCode app.
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