While Sri Lanka continue to search for their first win in their fourth and last league game, having been knocked out of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, New Zealand’s hopes for a semifinal spot remain alive with a win and a loss from two games. In match no. 15, the two teams will face off at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on the 12th of October 2024, at 3:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST). Fantasy XI fans confused about player selections? We’ve sorted the best options based on statistics and form—let us help you!
Fantasy Playing XI:
Anushka Sanjeewani, Suzie Bates, Harshitha Madhavi, Georgia Plimmer, Melie Kerr, Chamari Athapaththu, Sophie Devine, Kavisha Dilhari, Lea Tahuhu, Sugandika Kumari, Rosemary Mair
Keeper-batter:
Anushka Sanjeewani
The 34-year-old middle-order batter, with 758 runs from 69 T20I innings and the highest score of 61, has had a notable year so far. Anushka has accumulated 158 runs from 13 innings at a strike rate of 104.63, with her highest being 31. After scoring 5 in the tournament opener, she followed up with scores of 16 and 20 in the subsequent games. She’ll be eager to build on these starts, making her a reliable pick.
Batters:
Suzie Bates
The 37-year-old batting all-rounder has amassed 4481 runs from 164 T20I outings, with an impressive average of 29.48 and a strike rate of 108.78, while taking 58 wickets from 88 innings, registering best figures of 4/26 and a top score of 124*. Bates has maintained a consistent run of form since 2022, scoring 339 runs at 26.07, 435 runs at 39.64, and 363 runs at 24.20. Her recent performances include scores of 33, 34, and 19 in a bilateral series against Australia, followed by 27 and 20 in the ongoing World Cup league games. She’ll look to capitalize on this momentum, making her a valuable pick.
Harshitha Madhavi
The 26-year-old top-order batter has accumulated 1496 runs from 64 T20I innings at an average of 29.92, including 8 fifties with the highest score of 86*. Last year, she amassed 421 runs at an average of 60.14, and this year, she has continued her strong form, scoring 567 runs at 35.43. However, this excellent run hasn’t translated to the World Cup so far. Despite the slow start, Harshitha’s proven consistency makes her a dependable pick, as she is capable of delivering a strong performance.
Georgia Plimmer
The 20-year-old, top-order-batter, has made a mark in domestic cricket, although her T20I career has been slower to take off. She has scored 284 runs from 26 T20I innings, with her only fifty coming recently against Australia. Plimmer followed up her scores of 11 and 9 with a crucial 53 in the T20I series against Australia. In the World Cup, she scored a solid 34 in her first game and seems to be finding her form. Given her recent performances, she is a strong contender to contribute significantly and is a solid pick for this match.
All-rounders:
Melie Kerr
The 23-year-old all-rounder continues to impress with both bat and ball in T20Is. From 63 innings, she has accumulated 1203 runs at an average of 25.59 and a strike rate of 109.56, while also claiming 83 wickets from 79 matches, with an economy of 6.10. This year, Kerr has posted 294 runs from 14 innings and taken 19 wickets at an economy rate of 7.49. In the ongoing World Cup, her scores of 13 and 29, along with bowling figures of 1/19 and 4/26, underline her impact. With her best possibly yet to come, Kerr is a vital pick in any XI.
Chamari Athapaththu
The 34-year-old all-rounder is one of Sri Lanka’s stalwarts. Across 140 T20I appearances, she has amassed 3336 runs with a strike rate of 110.35, and her off-spin has fetched her 60 wickets from 84 innings. Despite scoring over 600 runs and claiming 16 wickets this year leading up to the World Cup, her World Cup form has been disappointing with scores of 6, 3, and 1, though she has taken 4 wickets. Given her success, Athapaththu will aim to end the tournament on a high, making her a rewarding pick.
Sophie Devine
The 35-year-old all-rounder is one of New Zealand’s key players, piling on 3341 runs at an average of 28.55 and a strike rate of 121.53 from 135 T20I outings. She also has 117 wickets from 119 bowling innings, with an economy rate of 6.56. After a lean patch, Devine has shown signs of recovery, scoring 35* and 24 in warm-up matches, followed by a mature 57* in New Zealand’s season opener. Her form and experience make her a must-pick for this match.
Kavisha Dilhari
The 23-year-old Sri Lankan all-rounder has been a consistent performer, amassing 512 runs at a strike rate of 102.81 from 49 innings and taking 51 wickets at an economy of 6.47 from 63 games. Leading up to the World Cup, she was in fine form, scoring over 250 runs and taking 21 wickets. Though her performances in the World Cup league games have been modest with bowling figures of 1/16, 0/10, and 0/11, and scores of 3, 5, and 21, she is capable of turning the tide and remains a certain pick.
Bowlers:
Lea Tahuhu
The 34-year-old pacer has been a cornerstone of New Zealand’s bowling attack, taking 91 wickets from 91 T20I innings with the best of 4/6 and an economy rate of 6.26. Tahuhu has had a solid year, claiming 13 wickets from 12 games at an economy rate of 7.94. She picked up 2 wickets in 2 T20Is against Australia, 3 in warm-up games, and produced figures of 3/15 in their ’24 World Cup season opener. Her consistency and proven ability to deliver key breakthroughs make her an essential pick.
Sugandika Kumari
The 33-year-old left-arm off-spinner has been a reliable performer for Sri Lanka, taking 62 wickets from 83 T20I innings at an economy rate of 6.04, with her best figures being 3/17. This year, she has maintained an economy rate of 5.78, picking up 15 wickets from 16 T20Is. Sugandika’s knack for producing crucial spells was on display with figures of 3/8 in a warm-up game and 3/19 in her side’s season opener, followed by 1/26. Her ability to break partnerships makes her a solid pick.
Rosemary Mair
The 25-year-old pacer has taken 24 wickets from 25 T20I innings at an economy rate of 6.62, with her best figures of 4/19. After a successful domestic season, Mair made a return to New Zealand’s national side earlier this year but missed part of the England tour due to injury. Fully fit now, she has shown her form with figures of 0/19, 2/22, 4/19, and 2/22, including strong performances in both league games. Her recent consistency makes her a strong pick in the XI.
For more on the upcoming game, click here for the game preview and here for broadcast details.
Loves all things female cricket