Champions’ time to defend at home
GEARING UP FOR CHALLENGE 2016 World T20 winners Windies will be pitted against 50over champs England in Pool A. Ankit Kumar Singh profiles the group
WEST INDIES
Hosts and defending champions West Indies will look to reprise their amazing run in the last edition of Women’s World T20 in India where they beat Australia in Kolkata to win their maiden major international title in women’s cricket.
Eleven members of the 2016 winning team have been retained in the side. However, Stafanie Taylor-led side now faces the burden of expectations as well as the pressure of playing at home. In 2018, the Caribbean women have played only eight T20Is and won only two. They will be especially disappointed with the way they squandered the lead of 2-0 against South Africa and let the visitors win the last two matches of the four-match series. The team, though, is quite capable of raising their game and has a number of match-winners. The bowling has variety. While Shamilia Connell is the fastest bowler in the side and can dismantle any opposition with her pace, experienced tweaker Anisa Mohammed, who recently claimed a hat-trick in the T20Is, can run through sides. In batting, the Caribbean outfit will depend on skipper Taylor, Hayley Matthews, Natasha McLean and Deandra Dottin, who has two T20Is tons, to do the bulk of scoring.The hosts take on Bangladesh on the opening day of the tournament before playing South Africa on November 14,
Sri Lanka on November
16 and
England on Nov 18.
SQUAD: Stafanie Taylor(c), Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman
WT20I RECORD
M- 107, W- 61, L- 40, T/NR-4/2
CAPTAIN PROFILE
Stafanie Taylor
Jamaica-born Stafanie Taylor loves to lead from the front with both bat and ball and nowhere it was more evident than the 2016 Women’s World T20 where she smashed 246 runs and took eight wickets and led the team to title triumph. She scored a stellar 56 against Australia in the final. In 2013, she became the only player in history to top rankings in both batting and bowling.
Age: 27, Matches: 88, Runs: 2662,
Average: 36.97, Wickets: 74, Average: 17.10
STAR PLAYER PROFILE
Hayley Matthews
Hayley Matthews had a choice to choose between cricket and track and field having won a gold medal in javelin at the 2015 CARIFTA Games. She opted for cricket, a decision that has paid rich dividends to the West Indian cricket. Her skills with bat and ball are exceptional. She starred in the 2016 Women’s World T20 where she clobbered a 45-ball 66 to help West Indies chase down 149 against Australia in the final.
Age: 28, Matches: 53, Runs: 485, Average: 16.16, Wickets: 44, Average:
18.97
ENGLAND
Reigning ODI World Cup champions, England go into the Women’s World T20 as a title contender. The English side is travelling to the Caribbean on the back of a successful summer that saw them win a tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand. England were the winners of the inaugural women’s World T20 at home in 2009. However, since then the title has eluded them having lost back-to-back finals to Australia in 2012 and 2014. In recent times, England have carved a niche for themselves, playing a fast-paced, hard-hitting brand of T20 cricket. During the tri-series at home, they averaged 170 runs per innings and recorded the highest-ever total in women’s T20Is having piled on 250/3 against the Proteas. England’s biggest strength is their firepower and depth in batting. They have explosive openers in Danielle Wyatt and Tammy while Natalie Sciver and skipper Heather Knight hold the fort in the middle order. Katherine Brunt, who was once a bowler, has now developed into a capable hitter down the order.
They have quality bowlers like Danielle Hazell, Anya Shrubsole, Jenny Gunn and Sophie Ecclestone. Ace wicketkeeper-batswoman Sarah Taylor, who is battling anxiety issues, will be sorely missed. Squad: Heather Knight, Katherine Brunt, Sophia Dunkley Brown, Sophie Ecclestone, Natasha Farrant, Kirstie Gordon, Jenny Gunn, Danielle Hazell, Amy Ellen Jones, Natalie Sciver, Linsey Smith, Anya Shrubsole, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont
CAPTAIN PROFILE
Heather Knight
Once a medium pacer, Heather Knight turned into a specialist batswoman after a hamstring injury during the early years of her career. Since making her debut at the age of 19 in 2010, she has been a regular in England top order. She was made captain in June 2016 after Charlotte Edwards called it a day. Since then, she has shown fine leadership ability and lead England to title in 50-over World Cup last year at home. Age: 27, Matches: 48, Runs: 533, Average: 16.65, Wickets: 14,
Average: 25.92
STAR PLAYER PROFILE
Natalie Sciver
A Tokyo-born cricketer, she shot to limelight when she claimed a hat-trick against NZ in 2013 before performing admirably in the 2013 Ashes where she averaged 100 with the bat. She was the first female cricketer to hit a six in Big Bash.
Age: 27, Matches: 50, Runs: 866, Avg: 24.05, Wkts: 41, Avg: 18.78
SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka have played all five editions of the Women’s World T20 so far without progressing beyond the first round even once. Qualifying for the knockouts will be a big task. In the current year they have won only three out of 13 T20Is. But they can take confidence from the way they stretched India despite a 4-0 rout in the five-match T20 series at home.
Led by Chamari Atapattu, the outfit has right mix of experience and youth.
Squad: Chamari Atapattu (c), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika Kumari, Eshani Lokusuriyage, Dilani Manodara, Yasoda Mendis, Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Shashikala Siriwardene, Rebeca Vandort, Sripali Weerakkody. WT20I RECORD
M- 84, W- 22, L- 58, T/NR-4
STAR PLAYER PROFILE
Sashikala Siriwardana
One of the most experienced members of the side, Shashikala Siriwardene has been the country’s leading wicket-taker in the WT20Is this year, claiming 14 wickets from 13 matches at an average of 15.85. Apart from making her name as a quality offspinner, Siriwardene is also a handy batswoman lower down the order. With this being her last big international event probably, she would hope to help her team pull off something special in the West Indies.
Age: 33, Matches: 65, Runs: 898, Average: 17.60, Wickets: 61, Average: 19.95
CAPTAIN PROFILE
Chamari Atapattu
Chamari Atapattu became a household name in cricket after her recordbreaking, 143-ball 178 against Australia in last year’s Women’s ODI World Cup. She took some of best bowlers in women’s cricket to cleaners during her knock that was the third highest individual total in the WODIs.
Age: 28, Matches: 69, Runs: 1162, Avg: 17.60, Wickets: 14, Avg: 31.92