The first match of the four match T20I bilateral series between Hong Kong and UAE will be played at Malek Ground in Ajman, UAE, on April 27.
Match preview: Hong Kong v UAE
Head to Head
Hong Kong and UAE have played two T20Is against each other and UAE have won both the matches.
Squads
Hong Kong: Natasha Miles, Hiu Ying Cheung, Kary Chan (captain), Maryam Bibi, Betty Chan, Tammy Chu, Yasmin Daswani, Mariko Hill, Emma Lai, Heiley Lui, Iqra Sahar, Shanzeen Shahzad, Mei Wai Siu, Ruchitha Venkates
UAE: Theertha Satish, Priyanjali Jain, Chaya Mughal (captain), Kavisha Egodage, Esha Oza, Samaira Dharnidharka, Mahika Gaur, Siya Gokhale, Lavanya Keny, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Indhuja Nandakumar, Chamani Seneviratna, Khushi Sharma
Players to watch out for
Kary Chan:
The captain of Hong Kong is the leading run-getter for her team in T20Is. The left-handed batter has 317 runs in 18 innings to her name, including the best of 43. She is a genuine all-rounder, who has 30 wickets in 20 innings, including one five-wicket haul. She bowls left-arm wrist spin.
Mariko Hill:
She is a right-handed batter and a right-arm seamer. Hill is the only player from Hong Kong to have a half-century in women’s T20Is. She has 296 runs in 19 innings at a strike rate of more than 90. With the ball, she has seven wickets to her name.
Esha Oza:
She is a prolific right-handed batter from UAE. She is the only player in the team to score a century in T20Is. She also has three half-centuries to her name. She has scored 716 runs in 24 innings at a strike rate of close to 125. She can also roll her arm over to bowl off spin. She has picked up 18 wickets in 16 innings.
Khushi Sharma:
She is a right arm speedster who has the uncanny ability to pick up crucial wickets. In the current UAE team, she is the only player to have a four wicket haul and five wicket haul in T20Is. In seven innings, she has accounted for 16 wickets, including the best of 5-22.
Pitch
This will be the first international match that will be played at this venue.
Weather
The weather is expected to be clear and warm. The average temperature will be around 27 degrees Celsius. There will be three percent cloud cover and no chance of rain. The wind will blow from the southeast.
Fantasy Playing XI
Shanzeen Shahzad, Esha Oza, Kavisha Egodage, Natasha Miles, Chamani Seneviratna, Chaya Mughal, Kary Chan, Mariko Hill, Betty Chan, Iqra Sahar, Khushi Sharma
Match Details
Date: April 27, 2022
Time: 8.30pm IST
Venue: Malek Ground, Ajman, UAE
Live Streaming: Fan Code
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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.