Six-time champions Australia will kick off their title defense on the 5th of October 2024, taking on Sri Lanka, who lost their opener to Pakistan in the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup. The game will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, starting at 3:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
In their first match, Sri Lanka impressed with the ball, bowling out Pakistan for 116, with standout performances from Chamari Athapaththu, Udeshika Prabodhani, and Sugandika Kumari, each taking three wickets. However, they struggled to build momentum in their chase, losing wickets regularly and ending with 85/9 in 20 overs, falling short by 31 runs. Facing Australia, who are coming off strong performances in their warm-up games, Sri Lanka will have a tough task ahead.
Squads:
Australia –
Alyssa Healy (C), Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
Sri Lanka –
Chamari Athapaththu (C), Anushka Sanjeewani, Harshitha Madhavi, Nilakshika de Silva, Inoka Ranaweera, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Sachini Nisansala, Vishmi Gunaratne, Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana
Players to watch out:
Beth Mooney –
The 30-year-old opening batter, from 95 T20I innings, has racked up 2858 runs at an average of 39.69, with a strike rate of 123.66, and registered the highest score of 117*. Beth wasn’t at her fluent best in a recent series against New Zealand, departing for 13, 10, and 6. However, in the first warm-up game, she scored a solid 50 against England. She can be relied upon to capitalize on this return to form, leading the scoring.
Sophie Molineux –
The 26-year-old left-arm off-spinner, from 33 T20Is, has scalped 34 wickets at an economy rate of 5.83, producing the best of 4/16. After a long time away from the game due to injuries, Sophie returned to the national side earlier this year and, since then, has taken 8 wickets in 6 T20Is. Even in the warm-up games, she was among the wickets. She can be banked upon for breakthroughs while also being economical.
Harshitha Madhavi –
The 26-year-old top-order batter, from 62 T20I innings, has amassed 1470 runs at an average of 30.62, registering the highest score of 86*. Harshitha is averaging a healthy 38.64 this year, amassing 541 runs from 17 T20Is, but importantly, she has scored her runs at a career-best strike rate of 119.69. In this campaign, including the warm-up games, she has managed scores of 29, 9, and 7, and hopefully, she will find her footing.
Kavisha Dilhari –
The 23-year-old all-rounder, in T20Is, has bagged 51 wickets from 61 bowling outings at an economy rate of 6.50, and from 47 innings, she has accumulated 486 runs at a strike rate of 103.40, registering bests of 4/13 and 51*. Kavisha has stepped up with important scores of 30*, 51*, and 27 in recent T20s, while leading the wickets chart this year with 22 to her name. She can be counted on for all-round efforts.
Pitch:
Sharjah dishes out a balanced pitch with a slight advantage for bowlers over batters, as evidenced by a modest average score in the 120s. The wicket will aid spinners, while pacers with variations can exploit it to their benefit.
Weather:
With the temperature forecasted to be around 34°C, moderate winds, clear skies, and humidity at 51%, it will be a good day for cricket at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Fantasy playing XI:
Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Phoebe Litchfield, Chamari Athapaththu, Georgia Wareham, Ash Gardner, Kavisha Dilhari, Sophie Molineux, Alana King
Match details:
Date – October 5, 2024
Time – 3:30 PM IST
Venue – Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Broadcast – In India, the game will be telecasted by the Star Sports Network and will be available for live streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
Click here for the full list of broadcasters for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.
