The 17th match of the ICC Women’s World T20 2023 will be played between New Zealand and Sri Lanka on February 19 at Boland Park in Paarl. The game will begin at 10.30 PM IST (7 PM LOCAL).
It will be the fourth and last league match of the tournament for both teams. While New Zealand won one and two, Sri Lanka won two and lost one out of their three previous encounters.
Head-to-Head
New Zealand and Sri Lanka have played nine T20Is against each other, and New Zealand have won all.
Squads
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Oshadi Ranasinghe, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya, Vishmi Gunaratne, Tharika Sewwandi, Ama Kanchana, Sathya Sandeepani
Players to watch
Eden Carson:
The wily right-arm off-spinner of New Zealand was the pick of the bowlers for her side in her last appearance against Bangladesh. She snapped 3/18 in four overs and registered her best bowling figures in T20Is. She was very effective in the middle and death overs and was the most economical bowler.
Suzie Bates:
The prolific right-handed opening batter of New Zealand blasted an undefeated 81 off 61 in the last game against Bangladesh. She registered her 24th half-century in T20Is. Her innings was studded with seven boundaries and a six. She won the player of the match award for her brilliant batting display.
Harshitha Samarawickrama:
The left-handed opening batter of Sri Lanka top-scored in her last outing against Australia. The southpaw mustered 34 off 40, including three hits to the fence. She laid the foundation and was there till the 14th over of the innings.
Vishmi Gunarathne:
The right-handed top-order batter of Sri Lanka fought hard for her 24 off 33 in the last fixture against Australia. The teenage sensation held the innings together and was in the middle from the fifth to the 18th.
Pitch
It will be the tournament’s sixth match at the venue, with the fifth being played early in the day. Out of the four games played here till February 18, the teams batting first and second have won two apiece. The average first innings score is 136, and the average second innings score is 97. Expect batting-friendly conditions, and a run-feast could be on the cards.
Weather
The weather is expected to be sunny and hot. The maximum temperature attained during the day will be 32 degrees Celsius. There will be a seven percent cloud cover and a two percent chance of rain. The wind will blow from the northwest.
Fantasy Playing XI
Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Maddy Green, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Suzie Bates, Nilakshi de Silva, Vishmi Gunarathne, Chamari Athapaththu, Amelia Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Eden Carson
Match details
Date: February 19, 2023
Time: 10.30 PM IST (7 PM LOCAL)
Venue: Boland Park, Paarl
Live streaming: Star Sports Network
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.