ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020, Match 5 & 6, Group A, Preview - Defending champions Australia and favourites India face off against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

As the enthralling journey of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 continues, two competitive squads– Australia Women and Sri Lanka Women lock horns in Match 5 of the tournament.

Defending champions Australia, who suffered a thumping defeat against India Women in their opening encounter, will be aiming to retaliate and register their first victory to flag off their T20 World Cup campaign. In their match against India, Meg Lanning and Co. suffered a batting fiasco as no other batswoman apart from Healy and Gardner was able to stay glued to the wicket for a prolonged period of time.

After restricting India to a modest total of 132 runs, the Aussie batting force failed to hunt down the target as they could only gather 115 runs on the board. Jess Jonassen was the pick of the Aussie bowling attack as she scalped two wickets while conceding 24 runs in her spell.

Similarly, Sri Lanka, who were handed a seven-wicket defeat by New Zealand Women, will be aiming to pounce back. Poort fielding and inconsistent bowling were two of the prime aspects behind the Sri Lanka Women’s loss against the Kiwis. The New Zealand batting force comfortably chased down the target of 128 runs. Skipper Chamari Atapattu emerged as the talisman for the Islanders in both the departments. She amassed 41 runs as well as scalped a solitary wicket against the Kiwis.

Team Combination

Australia Women

Alyssa Healy, who scored a brilliant half-century against India Women, will be steering their batting force. Along with Healy, Australia are equipped with many batting stalwarts in their arsenal– Beth Mooney, skipper Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry. Perry, who failed to dazzle against India after departing for a golden duck, will be hoping to retaliate and prove her worth against the Lankan side.

Predicted XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (C), Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardener, Ellyse Perry, Jess Jonassen, Annabel Sutherland, Delissa Kimmince, Molly Strano/Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt

Sri Lanka Women

Skipper Atapattu will be heading Sri Lanka in both the departments. Along with the skipper, Harshitha Madavi is another prospect who can muster runs in the batting department. Madav scored an unbeaten 27 run knock in her previous match against New Zealand Women to ensure that her side posts a competitive total on the board. Sri Lankan opener Hasini Perera also possesses the potential of steering her side to a flying start.

Predicted XI: Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (C), Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Harshitha Madhavi, Shashikala Siriwardene, Nilakshi de Silva, Ama Kanchana, Kavisha Dilhari, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani

Focus will be on

Ellyse Perry (Australia Women)

Despite failing to leave her mark in the previous encounter, Ellyse Perry has the calibre of single-handedly turning the match in her side’s favour. The 29-year-old is regarded as one of the best all-rounders across the international circuit and in a career spanning over 117 T20Is, the right-hander has gathered 1192 runs along with scalping 114 wickets. Perry is touted to play a vital role in Australia’s pursuit of their consecutive T20 World Cup trophy.

Chamari Atapattu (Sri Lanka Women)

Chamari Atapattu’s form and experience will play a crucial role in concealing Sri Lanka’s weaknesses. The 30-year-old has played 84 T20Is where she has scalped 25 wickets along with gathering 1533 runs for her national side. The all-rounder has been performing consistently since her last three matches in both the departments and is touted to emerge as Sri Lanka’s talisman yet again against a robust Australia Women side.

Head to Head

Australia Women vs Sri Lanka Women:

Played – 16 | Won by Australia Women – 8 | Won by Sri Lanka Women – 8 | Tied – 0 | No result – 0

Stat Attack

120, 6- Chamari Atapattu has delivered a consistent performance in three matches with 120 runs and six scalps under her belt.

4- All-rounder Ellyse Perry has four half-centuries under her hat in her T20 International career.

Broadcast details

TV – Star Sports

Live streaming – Hotstar

Match Timings: 03:00 am (local), 12:30 pm (IST)

The second encounter of the day will be played between India and Bangladesh. India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, already had exhibited glimpses of their potential in their campaign opener against defending champions Australia. Despite being lined up against a formidable Australian squad, the Women in Blue proved their worth as their bowling force–led by Poonam Yadav– wreaked havoc on the Kangaroo batting force. After amassing 132 runs on the board on the back of Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 49, India Women completed dominated the Aussies in the second innings.

Despite Alyssa Healy’s half-century, Australia suffered a batting debacle as most of their players departed on single-digit scores. No other batswoman apart from Ashleigh Gardner (34) was able to gather runs for her side. Australia Women bowed down to Poonam Yadav’s four-wicket haul and Shikha Pandey also chipped in with three wickets. After a formidable all-rounder performance, India Women will be hoping to continue their winning momentum in their pursuit of the World Cup trophy.

Bangladesh Women, on the other hand, will be hoping to start their World Cup pursuit by stunning crowd-favourites India. The Tigers will be put under a vital Test in the World Cup but they will be banking on the likes of Rumana Ahmed, Nahida Akhter and Salma Khatun to bolster their campaign.

In their warm-up game against Pakistan Women, Bangladesh registered a five-run victory on the back of Murshida Khatun’s 43-run knock. Salma Khatun also scalped three wickets to steer Bangladesh Women to the victory.

Team Combination

India Women

The Indian squad is equipped with many match-winners in their lineup. Their top-order will be strengthened by the trio of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma. Deepti Sharma, who smashed 46 against Australia Women, will be aiming to deliver a similar performance. The Women in Blue’s bowling attack will be steered by Poonam Yadav, who dismantled the Aussie batting force by scalping four wickets and conceding 19 runs in the match.

Predicted XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Bangladesh Women

Bangladesh Women squad will be relying on experienced players like Rumana Ahmed, Nahida Akhter, Ritu Moni and Salma Khatun. Ruhana Ahmed’s experience will play a vital role in their World Cup pursuit. Another name which stands apart is of skipper Salma Khatun. The skipper has the potential to deliver in both the departments. Murshida Khatun, who exhibited a brilliant performance in their warm-up match against Pakistan, will be hoping to replicate her performance.

Predicted XI: Shamima Sultana (wk), Murshida Khatun, Sanjida Islam, Nigar Sultana, Fargana Hoque, Rumana Ahmed, Panna Ghosh/Ritu Moni, Salma Khatun (C), Jahanara Alam, Khadija Tul Kubra, Nahida Akter

Focus will be on

Smriti Mandhana (India Women)

All eyes will be on Smriti Mandhana to propel India Women to a flying start. Despite failing to amass runs in the previous match, the opener has the potential to turn the game single-handedly with her blistering knocks. In a career spanning over 72 ODIs, the left-hander has scored 1677 runs including 12 half-centuries at an impressive strike-rate of 119.02. Mandhana has three 40+ scores in her previous five matches for India Women.

Rumana Ahmed (Bangladesh Women)

Bangladesh Women will be banking on the experience of Rumana Ahmed. The 28-year-old has played as many as 61 T20Is for Bangladesh and has delivered in both the departments. Along with gathering 718 runs, the right-hander has also scalped 55 wickets for her side. Delivering consistent performance in both the departments is a peculiar ability which the leg-break bowler possesses. She will be aiming to wreak havoc on India’s batting force.

Head to Head

Played – 11 | Won by India Women – 9 | Won by Bangladesh Women – 2 | Tied – 0 | No result – 0

Stat Attack

55- Bangladesh Women’s Rumana Ahmed has scalped 55 wickets in 61 T20I internationals including best figures of 3/2.

12- India Women opener Smriti Mandhana has gathered 12 half-centuries so far in her illustrious career spanning over 72 T20Is.

Broadcast details

TV – Star Sports

Live streaming – Hotstar

Match Timings: 07:00 pm (local), 4:30 pm (IST)