Switzerland Women claimed a convincing victory over Belgium Women in the opening match of their four-match T20I series at the Stars Arena Hofstade, Zemst, on May 28, 2025.
On debut, Switzerland won comfortably by 7 wickets with 47 balls to spare. Belgium were restricted to 99/6 in 15.4, with Veera Redkar top scoring with 41 runs. Switzerland chased down the target efficiently, reaching 99/6 well within the allotted overs, showcasing a dominant all-round performance to take an early lead in the series.
With this defeat, Belgium are yet to win a game in T20Is, losing their 8th game on the trot. On the other hand, debutants Switzerland have opened their account in international cricket with a convincing victory.
Squads:
Belgium Women’s Cricket Team
Rosemary Lister, Shirin Dias, Shraddha Bhandari, Tripti Gore, Aashita Gupta, Arussa Ilahi, Veera Redkar, Shamma Diwan Ali, Attia Diwan Ali, Smriti Kaneria, Sruthi Yenamandra
Switzerland Women’s Cricket Team
Laila Pickard, Natalie St Cyr Clarke, Saranya Kotha, Meghna Rajan, Millie Holmes, Sejal Vinod, Ananya Srinivasan, Franziska Kuenburg, Danashi Medagoda, Metty Fernandes, Samiha Dabholkar
Players to watch out:
Veera Redkar
The 37-year-old all-rounder stepped up for Belgium on debut, anchoring the innings with a valuable 41 runs. This performance came in the opening T20I against Switzerland Women, where she top-scored for Belgium, highlighting her importance to the team.
Arussa Illahi
The 32-year-old left-handed all-rounder made her international debut in 2024 against Luxembourg, opening the batting in her first appearance. She has 32 runs in 6 innings and also picked up 4 wickets as well. She was impressive in the first game against Switzerland women registering figures of 2 for 20 with the ball.
Meghna Rajan
The 16-year-old all-rounder played a key role in Switzerland’s maiden win, remaining unbeaten on 17 runs and picking 3 crucial wickets in her 4 overs spell with a maiden over and being absolutely economical with the ball by just giving away 6 runs, helping her team secure a comfortable victory.
Franziska Kuenburg
The 32-year-old keeper-batter was a standout performer in the opening T20I against Belgium, earning the Player of the Match award for her crucial contribution of scoring 40 of just 31 deliveries, smashing 5 boundaries and striking at 129.03. The team will count on her to follow up with another big score.
Pitch:
The Stars Arena Hofstade typically offers a well-balanced surface. Both batters and bowlers are likely to get assistance, making team balance crucial. Chasing teams have historically enjoyed a slight advantage, with a 61%-win rate at this venue.
Weather:
No rain interruptions and delays are expected throughout the match. The temperature is forecasted to hover around 14°C, with 20% precipitation expected in the first hour of the match. Average humidity would be around 83% gradually decreasing as the match progresses.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Franziska Kuenburg, Meghna Rajan, Arussa Illahi, Veera Redkar, Rosemary Lister, Aashita Gupta, Smriti Kaneria, Natalie St Cyr Clarke, Sejal Vinod, Ananya Srinivasan, Metty Fernandes
Match details:
Date – May 29, 2025
Time – 1:45 PM IST
Venue – Stars Arena Hofstade, Zemst
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
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