VEL vs TRA: Live Streaming, Match Preview, Timings, Stats, Pitch Report and more for Women’s T20 Challenge 2020, Match 2

Given the super-crunch schedule of the Women’s T20 Challenge, Mithali and Co will barely get any time after the event-opener on Wednesday. The second game will witness the only day game as Mithali Raj-led Velocity will take on Smriti Mandhana’s Trailblazers, who will be playing their first encounter. Coming after a near-perpetual COVID-enforced break, the Trailblazers’ players would be keen to start on a winning note. More so, after the team missed to make it to the final last year on account of their marginally inferior net run rate.

With the likes of skipper Smriti Mandhana, Barbadian seam-bowling all-rounder Deandra Dottin, veteran Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami, all-rounder Deepti Sharma, the Trailblazers look a robust contender for the title.  They also have the services of Thailand’s opening batter Natthakan Chantham, who scored her country’s first Women’s WT20 half-century and is the first Associate cricketer to be a part of the tournament which is being termed as a precursor of the Women’s IPL.

On the other side, the Velocity will have their reliance on the wunderkind Shafali Verma, who grabbed the spotlight through her immensely consistent exploits in the Women’s World T20 earlier this year. With some spectacular Indian talents in their middle-order such as Veda Krishnamurthy, Devika Vaidya, alongside skipper Mithali Raj, the team would certainly pose a challenging fight in the second game, on Thursday, at the Sharjah International Cricket Stadium.

Pitch and conditions

This being a day encounter, the impact of the dew will be negligible. Given that the track at Sharjah has dried up and slowed down considerably in the last few games, the batswomen will have to bide their time in the middle. The spinners will certainly get assistance from the track as the game progresses, although, they need to be wary of the short boundaries at this venue.

Playing combinations for VEL vs TRA

Velocity

The young right-hander Shafali Verma will be on her opening duties alongside England’s Danielle Wyatt. The openers will be assisted by skipper Mithali Raj, who will walk in at No. 3, and will be followed by all-rounder Sune Luus, Veda Krishnamurthy, Devika Vaidya, and wicket-keeper batswoman Sushma Verma in their middle-order.

Bangladesh medium-pacer Jahanara Alam will lead their pace attack alongside Shikha Pandey, whereas Ekta Bisht, who is a big threat in the attack, and Leigh Kasperek will be the spinners.

Predicted XI- Shafali Verma, Danielle Wyatt, Mithali Raj (C), Sune Luus, Veda Krishnamurthy, Devika Vaidya, Sushma Verma (WK), Shikha Pandey, Jahanara Alam, Leigh Kasperek, Ekta Bisht

Bench- Meghna Singh, Sushree Dibyadarshini, Manali Dakshini, Anagha Murali

Trailblazers

Skipper Smriti Mandhana will open for the Trailblazers, and partnering her will be the Thai batswoman Nattakan Chantam. The Trailblazers have some solid middle-order batters and all-rounders in Deandra Dottin, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, and Salma Khatun. They will be followed by Indian wicketkeeper Nuzhat Parveen, whereas Jhulan Goswami will lead with the ball alongside spinners Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Sophie Ecclestone.

Predicted XI- Smriti Mandhana (C), Nattakan Chantam, Dayalan Hemalatha/Richa Ghosh, Deandra Dottin, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Nuzhat Parveen (WK), Jhulan Goswami, Salma Khatun, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Sophie Ecclestone

Bench- Punam Raut, Kashvee Gautam, Simran Bahadur, Dayalan Hemalatha/Richa Ghosh

VEL vs TRA Head to Head

Played- 1 | VEL won- 1 | TRA won- 0 | NR- 0

VEL vs TRA Broadcast Details

Match timings – 02:00 PM Local time, 03:30 PM IST

TV – Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Select, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports 1 Select HD, and Star Sports 1 HD Hindi.

Live Streaming – The match can be streamed online on Disney + Hotstar VIP