Women’s cricket is all set to make its debut in the Commonwealth Games this year. The first women’s T20I in the 2022 Commonwealth Games will be played between Australia and India on July 29 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The match will start at 4.30 PM IST.
Squads
Australia: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Sabbhineni Meghana, Taniya Sapna Bhatia, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Thakur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana.
Last 5 performances
While Australia have won three out of their last five matches, with two matches producing no result, India, on the other hand, have won just two out of their last five T20Is and lost three.
Head-to-Head
Australia and India have played 23 T20Is against each other, out of which Australia have won 16, India have won six and one match did not produce a result.
Players to watch
Alyssa Healy:
This swashbuckling right-handed opening batter of Australia can take the game away from the opposition single handedly. She is one of the most attacking players in the women’s game. She has played 127 T20Is and muscled 2159 runs at a strike rate of 128. She also has one century and 12 half-centuries.
Tahlia McGrath:
She is a promising young all-rounder of Australia. This right-handed batter and right arm medium pace bowler has been impressive in her short T20I career so far. In her nine matches, she has scored247 runs, including the best of 91 not out. With the ball, she has claimed four wickets in five innings.
Alana King:
This wily leg spinner from Australia is a genuine wicket-taker. Having made her international debut in all three formats in 2022, she has emerged as one of the vital cogs in the Australian line-up. She has featured in six T20Is and accounted for nine wickets at an economy of just over four and a half runs per over.
Smriti Mandhana:
This stylish left-handed opening batter of India is one of the most experienced players in the side. With 87 matches under her belt, she has mustered 2033 runs, including 14 half-centuries. She has a healthy strike rate of 120 and the best score of 86. She will be required to give India a steady start with the bat.
Harmanpreet Kaur:
The captain of the Indian team is an aggressive right-handed middle order batter and more than a handy right arm off spinner. She is the most experienced player in the team with 124 matches to her name. She has smashed 2411 runs, including one century and half a dozen half-centuries. She also has 31 wickets in 58 innings and is an excellent fielder.
Deepti Sharma:
This all-rounder from India is a left-handed middle order batter and a right arm off spinner. In 61 T20Is, she has scored 520 runs and picked up 63 wickets, including one four wicket-haul. She is flexible with her bowling as she can open the innings as well as bowl in the death overs.
Pitch Conditions
The venue has hosted just the one women’s T20I to date. It was played in 2014 between England and South Africa. England won the match by eight runs after scoring 126/6 in 20 overs and restricting South Africa to 118/6 in 20 overs. Expect a hard new wicket that could assist the batters. The sunny conditions may also make the batting easy. A high-scoring contest could be on the cards.
Weather
The weather is expected to be partly sunny. The maximum temperature forecast is 24 degrees Celsius. There will be 45 percent cloud cover and 25 percent chance of rain. The wind will blow from the south-southwest.
Fantasy Playing XI
Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Tahlia McGrath, Alana King, Jess Jonassen, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Upcoming milestones
- Harmanpreet Kaur is 89 runs away from completing 2500 T20I runs. She will become the 1st Indian and seventh overall to achieve the feat in women’s T20Is.
- Rajeshwari Gayakwad is 5 wickets away from completing 50 T20I wickets. She will become the 6th Indian to achieve the feat.
Match details
Date: July 29, 2022
Time: 3.30PM IST
Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham
Live streaming: Sony LIV
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I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.
