Ireland comes into Match 10 looking every bit the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifiers favorites, currently holding second place in Group A with a perfect record and a massive NRR of 2.050. They were ruthless in their demolition of Papua New Guinea and look like a well-oiled machine. Standing in their way is a resilient USA side that has shown they belong at this level. After a narrow loss to Bangladesh, the Americans bounced back beautifully to beat Namibia, moving them up to third in the standings. With two points each, this game is a direct scrap for that second-place cushion behind Bangladesh.
Squads:
Ireland Women’s Cricket Team
Christina Coulter Reilly, Gaby Lewis, Rebecca Stokell, Laura Delany, Leah Paul, Louise Little, Orla Prendergast, Amy Hunter, Aimee Maguire, Alana Dalzell, Arlene Kelly, Ava Canning, Cara Murray, Jane Maguire, Lara McBride
United States of America Women’s Cricket Team
Aditiba Chudasama, Chetna Reddy Pagydyala, Suhani Thadani, Disha Dhingra, Gargi Bhogle, Geetika Kodali, Jessica Willathgamuwa, Jivana Aras, Lekha Shetty, Maahi Madhavan, Mitali Patwardhan, Pooja Ganesh, Ritu Singh, Saanvi Immadi
Players to watch out:
Orla Prendergast
Orla has hit the ground running in this qualifier, showing exactly why she’s considered a world-class all-rounder. In her opening match against Zimbabwe, she anchored the chase with a vital 53 off 37 balls, a knock that featured 7 boundaries and a strike rate of 143.24. Currently sitting among the top run-getters of the tournament with 56 runs, she has also been incredibly tight with the ball, maintaining an economy rate below 6.00 and proving to be Ireland’s most reliable match-winner in pressure situations.
Ella Claridge
Ella has been the breakout star for the United States, producing one of the best individual performances of the competition so far. She powered the USA to a historic win over Namibia with a brilliant 70 off 51 balls, striking at 137.25 and smashing 10 fours and a six. Her ability to finish games was evident as she stayed nearly until the end, and she currently leads her team’s batting charts, having already accumulated 70 runs in her very first outing of the main draw.
Isani Vaghela
Isani has been a revelation with the ball for the USA, providing a masterclass in disciplined medium-pace bowling. In the crucial fixture against Namibia, she finished with exceptional figures of 2/15 from 3 overs, consistently hitting the right lengths to stifle the opposition’s scoring. She has picked up 4 wickets so far in the tournament and plays an important role for her side. With a career T20I bowling average now hovering around 12.29 and 31 wickets to her name, she has quickly become the primary strike option for her captain during the middle overs of this qualifier.
Arlene Kelly
Arlene continues to be the tactical leader of the Irish bowling unit, often doing the heavy lifting during the powerplay. While she didn’t grab the headlines in the first game, her ability to bowl heavy balls and restrict the opposition saw her return an economical spell of 2/18 against PNG Women. Her experience is her greatest asset; having already taken 76 T20I wickets for Ireland, she remains the player the captain turns to whenever the team needs to dry up the runs and force a mistake.
Pitch:
Mulpani Cricket Ground offers a balanced turf wicket with true bounce and pace, favoring seamers early before spin grips later. T20 records from 13 matches show 151 average first innings score, with teams bowling first winning 8. The quick outfield and 60-70m boundaries encourage attacking cricket.
Weather:
In Mulpani the weather will be sunny with a high of 18°C and a low of 6°C. There is a 0% chance of rain, and wind will be from the south at 3 mph.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Gaby Lewis, Laura Delany, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Aditiba Chudasama, Chetna Reddy Pagydyala, Lekha Shetty, Maahi Madhavan, Pooja Ganesh
Match Details:
Date – January 22, 2025
Time – 8:45 AM IST
Venue – Mulpani Cricket Ground, Nepal
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
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