Just weeks after the conclusion of the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup that noticed the Indian ladies’s crew win their first ICC trophy in any age group, one other Indian crew might be within the race to return dwelling from South Africa with the World Cup trophy.
Ahead of the primary match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup – a event filled with storylines and potential information makers – listed here are the most important speaking factors:
Renuka Thakur might be India’s X issue?
Buoyed by India’s U-19 ladies’s crew’s current triumph within the T20 World Cup and buoyed by profitable figures for the published and franchise rights of the primary Women’s Premier League (WPL), India are nicely positioned to win their maiden senior ICC title. is in title than ever earlier than.
The Women in Blue are anticipated to have distinctive batsmen: with the expertise and skill of Smriti Mandhana and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, and the boldness and explosiveness of U-19 champions Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh. But it is going to be the bowling that may take a look at India’s title credentials.
Off-spinner Deepti Sharma might be a dependable arm, however the bouncy wickets in South Africa would require a pacer to steer the assault. Renuka Thakur has proved within the final one yr that she is up for work. While his common and financial system fee could also be greater, taking wickets with the brand new ball might be essential, and in that facet, Renuka’s file speaks for itself. With 23 scalps in 24 T20Is for the reason that begin of 2022, he has extra wickets than another quick bowler on the earth. India will must be in high type if they’re to mount a practical title cost.
Tahlia McGrath could stand out amongst Australia’s stars
Australia have misplaced just one T20 match since January 2022 – in a Super Over thriller in opposition to India in Mumbai. Having gained each ICC title since 2017, together with the Commonwealth Games gold, it’s arduous to see them as favorites for an additional trophy.
In a star-studded squad together with captains Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy in addition to in-form Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry, it might be all-rounder Tahlia McGrath who might be crucial cog of their successful machine.
A real three-way menace, McGrath can hit the deck arduous with the ball, and hit the ball arduous and flat with the bat – each traits that are prone to have been aided by the South African circumstances which, oddly, Will be new to Australia having by no means performed a sequence there earlier than.
A pace-bowling all-rounder might be essential in South Africa, and McGrath’s numbers — she averages 57.87 with the bat and 14.15 with the ball in 18 T20Is since January 2022 — converse to why she could also be crucial.
Fitness take a look at highlights SA dwelling marketing campaign
South Africa’s dwelling marketing campaign was derailed after an issue when coach, Hilton Moreng, determined to drop his captain Dane van Niekerk from the squad after he failed a health take a look at – a 2km time-trial run – by 18 seconds.
The blame is not simply in shedding the captain, but additionally in troubling the star participant: van Niekerk’s spouse, all-rounder Marijane Kapp.
Kapp took 12 wickets and scored 203 runs as South Africa reached the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup. The Proteas would love him to duplicate that type within the World T20 regardless that he hasn’t performed a lot within the final one yr. The controversy has raised questions over the headspace cap after his spouse missed the previous couple of matches on account of ‘compassionate depart’.
In a house World Cup, the scrutiny will intensify and will dent their whole marketing campaign.
Pakistan’s decrease order energy hitters
Pakistani ladies have a poor file in main tournaments. They have by no means made it previous the group stage of the T20 World Cup. Despite being within the simple group, altering that file appears a troublesome process.
Captain Bismah Maroof is a reliable runscorer on the high of the innings but when Pakistan are to strike a blow or two, they are going to rely closely on the ability hitters within the decrease order.
The 36-year-old Nida Dar is as explosive as she is skilled, making her a dependable finisher, placing at a mean of 45.44 in T20Is final yr. Ayesha Naseem is precisely half his age, however equally necessary.
The 18-year-old’s profession is but to take off, however her potential to hit sixes is what units her aside. Her memorable six of 83 meters in opposition to Australia final month was one of many longest sixes in ladies’s cricket historical past, and her thirteenth six since January 2022.
England embraced youth, aggression
The return of net-cryer Brunt from his psychological well being break final yr, and well timed purple patches from the likes of Danny Watt and Sophia Dunkley, has given England’s batting lineup a considerable enhance. Katherine Sciver-Brunt, within the closing World Cup of her profession, will present some a lot wanted bowling expertise.
But it is going to be the return of 18-year-old Ellyse Capsy after needing surgical procedure for a collar bone harm in December and the type of 22-year-old pacer Lauren Bell that may give them the sting.
Bell was relied upon with the brand new ball in England’s current sequence in opposition to the West Indies, and her 9 wickets at a mean of lower than 10 proved simply how helpful she was. With batsmen on the helm, England wanted an aggressive middle-order to sew the innings collectively, and Capsy’s explosiveness and skill to rotate strike match the invoice completely.
In a reset underneath coach John Lewis, England have a brand new attacking method – not in contrast to the lads’s crew – and bowlers like Bell and batsmen like Capsy are very important to that.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
