Karachi and Lahore are set to go head-to-head in the Final of the 2024 Pakistan National Women’s Twenty20 (T20) Tournament at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. The game gets underway at 11:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST) on the 31st of January 2024.
Squads:
Karachi – Fatima Sana (C), Aimen Anwar, Aroob Shah, Esha Rahupoto, Hurraina Sajjad, Javeria Khan, Laiba Fatima, Maham Manzoor, Maham Tariq, Masooma Jaffri, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Yusra Amir, Zunaira Shah
Lahore – Nida Dar (C), Ayesha Zafar, Amber Kainaat, Areesha Noor, Bismah Maroof, Fatima Khan, Fatima Shahid, Ghulam Fatima, Iram Javed, Kainat Hafeez, Nashra Sundhu, Noreen Yaqoob, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Zunash Abdul Sattar
Players to watch out:
Javeria Khan
The 35-year-old batter, from 10 outings, has amassed 352 runs at an average of 44.00, a strike rate of 110.34, and notched up the highest of 74. Javeria’s scores from her previous 3 outings read 49(44), 25(34), and 25(24). The team will count on their seasoned campaigner to make the most of this form, converting her scores into a match-winning knock.
Aroob Shah
The 20-year-old all-rounder has had a notable competition, though she hasn’t excelled with the bat; she has compensated with the ball, taking 14 wickets from 10 outings, maintaining an economy rate of 5.09. Aroob has registered figures of 2/22, 2/18, 2/22, and 2/8 in her recent few outings and will be relied upon for the goods.
Sidra Amin
The 31-year-old batter, averaging 90.60 and striking at 145.66, has racked up 453 runs from 9 outings, registering the highest of 113. Sidra is in extraordinary form with the bat this tournament, and in her recent 4 outings, has registered scores of 41(35), 50(39), 28(19), and 71(51). It’ll be hoped she carries forward this momentum into the final.
Ghulam Fatima
The 28-year-old leg-spinner has been a standout for the team this competition, bagging 18 wickets from 9 games, averaging 8.67, and maintaining an economy rate of 4.46. Ghulam, in her previous few games, has returned figures of 2/13, 1/29, 2/30, 2/7, and 3/12. She’ll be relied upon to lead the wickets charts, stepping up in the must-win.
Pitch:
The center wicket at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium provides a well-balanced playing surface, slightly favoring the batters. Despite being good for batting, the average score in the 130s suggests that it’s got enough in it for bowlers as well, both spinners and pacers.
Weather:
With cloudy overhead and high chances of rain, expect delayed starts and interruptions during the game. The temperature is expected to be around 14°C, with light winds and a humidity level of 83%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin, Javeria Khan, Bismah Maroof, Sadaf Shamas, Nida Dar, Ayesha Zafar, Aroob Shah, Fatima Khan, Nashra Sundhu, Ghulam Fatima
Match details:
Date – January 31, 2024
Time – 11:30 AM IST
Venue – Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the Pakistan Cricket Board YouTube channel.