TEAM PREVIEW
Follow UsIf ever there was officially a group of death in any tournament, it has to be Group A in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand in the group, it might be an absolute bloodbath if Sri Lanka and Pakistan utilise their resources well, as the former team did against India recently in the Asia Cup final.
With New Zealand’s form down the drain but being full of high-ceiling players, Australia and India won’t be seated on a rocking chair thinking they can make it easily to playoffs.
Let’s see how the teams look like in Group A.
India
The finalists and semi-finalists of the last two T20 World Cups will be taking the field in the UAE with the sole aim of winning their first-ever World Cup in the sport.
The good thing is that things are looking largely sorted for the Women in Blue, except for a few issues here and there. The top six in the batting order (consisting of Smriti Mandhan, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh) is probably amongst the best in the competition, along with Australia. With Richa and Jemimah having been in some really good form in India colours, you should expect the Indians to keep posting above-par totals if they bat to potential.
However, their quality all-rounders, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, and Shreyanka Patil, add immense value to the setup. The first two have especially shown decent finishing abilities recently. India would hope that they won’t crumble under pressure this time, unlike in the Commonwealth Games Gold Medal match or the T20 World Cup semi-final in 2023.
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While the number three slot has been a concern, the return of Yastika Bhatia should ideally solve that issue. However, Renuka Singh Thakur has blown hot and cold recently, and the butterfingers have always troubled India. If they want to beat Australia and the others to finish at the top of the group, they need to account for all three of these issues as soon as possible.
Predicted Playing XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur (c) , Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana/Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh Thakur
New Zealand
If there’s one team you would not want to bet on to qualify for the knockouts in this World Cup, it would be the White Ferns.
2024 has been a truly horrendous year for New Zealand in T20Is, where they have played 13 games and lost 12, 10 of which have come on the trot. The reasons have been fairly straightforward — there has been an overall lack of rhythm palpable in the squad, along with the fact that except Amelia Kerr, almost all other players have had a year to forget. Kerr is not only the leading run-getter this year but also the leading wicket-taker for her side; however, what’s painful is that the competition in the team for that isn’t even close.
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Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine, along with Maddy Green, Georgia Plimmer, and Fran Jonas, need to perform to their true potential for New Zealand even to have a bleak chance at progression in the tournament. For that, they would also need wickets with the new ball from the likes of Lea Tahuhu, who have not done the job consistently for the White Ferns in quite some time.
Frankly, New Zealand would be the surprise of the tournament if they managed to reach the semi-final from this group, where every single team except Pakistan looks stronger than them on paper.
Predicted Playing XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (c) , Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Izzy Gaye, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Kerr, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas
Pakistan
Led by the 22-year-old Fatima Sana, Pakistan have enough in their tanks to score a victory or two in their tough group, and complicate the semi-final qualifications.
What’s good to see in this regard is the fact that Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali have been really good for them this year at the top of the order, and that has allowed them to post decent totals or be in the chase as Sidra Ameen has also allowed them solidity as well in the top three. They’ll be buoyed by the fact that they crossed 150 twice against South Africa in the recently concluded series, and it’s their all-rounder captain who has provided them with some impactful firepower down the order by being the highest run scorer in the Proteas series.
However, their spin attack is their biggest strength as Sadia Iqbal’s and Nashra Sandhu’s left arm spin, Tuba Hassan’s clever leg spin, and Nida Dar’s experienced off-spin rounds up their attack quite well. In pacers, they have the exciting left-arm pacer Tasmia Rubab, along with Sana and Diana Baig.
If this team plays with strategic plans and just focuses on doing the basics right (like their improved catching, for example), we are in for a treat in Group A.
Predicted Playing XI: Muneeba Ali (wk), Gull Feroza, Sidra Amin, Nida Dar, Fatima Sana, Aliya Riaz, Tuba Hassan, Sadaf Shamas, Saida Iqbal, Nashra Sandhu, Diana Baig
Sri Lanka
The Lankan women’s team have been on a roller coaster that is only going up so far. Since the 2023 T20 World Cup, they have played 31 games — the most for a full member side and the results have reflected in the improvements seen throughout the side.
Sri Lanka are no more just reliant on Chamari Athapaththu. They also have Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari as well who have been chipping in with runs and, in the case of Dilhari, even wickets.
Their fielding overall has improved from the past, and more contributions from the likes of Anushka Sanjeevani and Nilakshika Silva will only strengthen their batting. Their Asia Cup victory against the dominant Indian side was the biggest sign that they have matured as a team.
With this being probably Chamari's last World Cup, the Lankan girls will leave no stone unturned to challenge for that elusive semi-final spot.
Predicted Playing XI: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (c) , Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeevani (wk), Udeshika Prabodhini, Sachini Nisansala, Achini Kalasuriya, Inoshi Priyadarshini, Inoka Ranaweera
Australia
What to say about them that hasn’t been said? The fact that players like Jess Jonassen, who are sought after in every single T20 league worldwide, can’t make the cut for the World Cup should tell you just how strong Alyssa Healy’s side has been.
Their squad has been strengthened immensely by the return of Tayla Vlaeminck’s express pace. Together with Darcie Brown, Ellyse Perry, Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland, and Megan Schutt, they constitute the strongest pace attack of this tournament. However, their recent form might be concerning, as Schutt has been a bit inconsistent.
If that wasn’t enough, they have Alana King, Georgia Wareham, and Ash Gardner in their well-rounded spin attack.
Their batting looks as stacked as always, and the addition of Phoebe Litchfield has deepened it further. Despite Meg Lanning’s departure and the rare T20I series loss in England, they are still very much the team to beat this World Cup.
Predicted Playing XI: Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Phoebe Litchfield, Ash Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck
With inputs from Akshay Kumaraswamy
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