Match number 7 in the 2025 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Division 2 Qualifier unfolds in Rome, featuring a compelling clash between Jersey Women and Spain Women at the Roma Cricket Ground. Both the teams are eager to secure a victory after starting the campaign on a losing note that can significantly impact their qualification aspirations.
Spain’s campaign began on a disappointing note as they fell short in a chase that looked well within their reach. Despite restricting Sweden to a modest total of 104-built around Eman’s steady 30 and supporting knocks from Gunjan and Zara, Spain faltered under pressure. Janet Hillman fought valiantly with a composed 34 but lacked support from the other end as the Spanish batting unit collapsed. Zara turned the tide decisively for Sweden with two key breakthroughs, exposing Spain’s fragile middle order.
The tournament opener turned into a tough lesson for Jersey Women as their promising start was undone by a dominant Italian chase. After the Jersey openers laid a strong foundation with a solid total of 162, hopes were high for a winning start. Analise Merritte’s fluent half-century stood out, but the lack of momentum in the middle overs came back to haunt them. Italy, however, responded with firepower, Dilaisha’s explosive 86 off 54 balls dismantled the Jersey bowling attack. Despite having runs on the board, Jersey’s bowlers failed to contain the Italian openers.
Squads:
Jersey Women’s Cricket Team
Chloe Greechan (C), Aimee Aikenhead, Olivia Bastin, Kate Follain, Lily Greig, Nia Greig, Mia Maguire (WK), Georgia Mallet, Analise Merritt, Annie Mossop, Trinity Smith, Tallulah Spry, Florence Tanguy, Grace Wetherall
Spain Women’s Cricket Team
Amy Brown-Carrera, Andrea Davidson-Soler, Elspeth Fowler, Muskan Naseeb, Alexis Hartley, Marisol Carrera Vivar, Memoona Riaz Qureshi, Uswa Syed, Amelia Jones, Tasbiha Mirza, Mardiya Mohammed, Naomi Hillman-Bermejo, Payal Chilongia, Rabia Mushtaq, Samia Bisharat
Players to watch out:
Rabia Mushtaq
The right-handed batter stands strong with her pivotal returns for Spain since her debut. She has been instrumental in Spain’s bowling unit. In the recent match against Germany, she showcased her prowess by picking up 2 wickets. Notably she has picked up 5 total wickets in WT20s in eight matches.
Amelia Jones
Jones is a reliable batter-wicketkeeper known for anchoring the innings from the front. In the recent encounter against Germany, the opener scored an unbeaten 39 runs but was on the losing side. In her 2 T20Is so far, she has scored 46 runs and will aim to lead the scoring in this tournament.
Analise Merritt
The right-handed batter has been representing Jersey since 2019. In the opening match against Italy, she scored a commanding 77 runs off 56 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes, leading Jersey to a total of 162/9, showcasing her batting prowess. In the WT20Is, she has recorded 645 runs picking up 26 wickets from 34 matches.
Florence Tanguy
A key bowler for Jersey, Tanguy picked up 2 wickets in their recent encounter against Italy. The young bowler has scalped 31 wickets from 23 WT20Is so far. Her ability to maintain a tight economy rate while taking crucial wickets makes her an asset to the Jersey bowling lineup.
Pitch
The Roma Cricket Ground offers a balanced pitch that caters to both batters and bowlers. The surface provides consistent bounce, allowing batters to play their shots confidently. However, as the match progresses, spinners may find some assistance and seamers can also benefit from early movement if there’s moisture in the surface.
Weather
The conditions in Rome today are expected to be pleasant, with temperatures around 25°C. Humidity levels are anticipated to be 86%, and there are no significant chances of precipitation. The day is sunny ensuring favorable conditions for a full match.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Analise Merritt, Rabia Mushtaq, Amelia Jones, Florence Tanguy, Andrea Davidson-Soler, Uswa Syed, Naomi Hillman-Bermejo, Kate Follain, Grace Wetherall, Mia Maguire, Memoona Riaz Qureshi
Match details:
Date – May 26, 2025
Time – 6:30 PM IST
Venue – Roma Cricket Ground, Rome
Broadcast – The game will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website.
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