Thailand Women’s Cricket is all set to make their World Cup debut at the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) Stadium tomorrow when they play against mighty West Indies in the second match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.
Thailand was one of two qualifiers for the World Cup, beating Ireland, Netherlands, Namibia, and Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the process.
Ranked 11th in the world, Thailand is also coming into the new year on the back of a world record 17-game winning streak spanning 2019, which included three consecutive wins against Ireland and a 2018 Asia Cup win against Sri Lanka.
Since the ICC Global Qualifiers in Scotland, the team has been on the move. A month-long batting camp in Pune was followed by a tour to Australia where the team shared series’ against the NSW Breakers and ACT Meteors. Thailand also took part in a Quadrangular series in Patna, India, where they beat India A by 9 runs.
Captain Sornnarin Tippoch, who has been with the team since 2007 believes that they have earned their place amongst the world’s best.
Media Release: Thailand all set to make their T20 Cricket World Cup Debut against West Indies Click To Tweet
“We are an experienced group of players and a close-knit bunch. We understand very well the magnitude of being at a World Cup. This means so much for the future of the game in Thailand, in South East Asia, and across the globe. We represent the expansion of the game beyond its traditional centers and we intend to do this role justice.”
Head Coach, Harshal Pathak is quietly confident about the team’s presence in Australia.
“We have prepared well. We are in Australia to compete, not just to make up numbers. Regardless of the results, expect to see an exciting and uniquely Thai brand of cricket that has thus far served us well.”
The selectors have named a settled 15-person squad for the world cup. The experienced Sornnarin Tippoch leads the team in her 12th year as Captain.
Suwanan Khiaoto and Thipatcha Putthawong, both participants in the recent Malaysian Women’s Super League, are debutants. Khiaoto represented Thailand A in the Thailand T20 Smash and Putthawong was a key performer in the inaugural U-19 Belt and Road Tournament 2019, which Thailand won.
After taking on the West Indies, Thailand travel to Canberra where they will face South Africa and England, before their final group game against Pakistan in Sydney.
Squad: Sornnarin Tippoch (c), Nattaya Boochatham (vc), Naruemol Chaiwai, Nattakan Chantam, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Rosanen Kanoh, Suwanan Khiaoto, Nannapat Koncharoenkai (wk), Suleeporn Laomi, Soraya Lateh, Wongpaka Liengprasert, Phannita Maya, Ratanaporn Padunglerd, Thipatcha Putthawong, Chanida Sutthiruang