October 5 at T20 World Cup: Australia favourites vs SL; spin-heavy England meet Bangladesh
Australia vs Sri Lanka
Sharjah, 2pm local time
Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck
Sri Lanka squad: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilshari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika Kumari
News brief: Sri Lanka are in a spot, having lost their opening match to lower-ranked Pakistan, that too by being restricted to 85 for 9 in a modest chase of 117. They will now play a day game against Australia in the heat of Sharjah – the same as their first game – so team changes may not be no the cards. Sri Lanka will have to pull up their socks on the field after putting down three catches, which cost them heavily on Thursday. Australia might go spin heavy too, like the teams did on the opening day, and they have enough allrounders to do that.
Bangladesh vs England
Sharjah, 6pm local time
Bangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani, Disha Biswas
England squad: Heather Knight (capt), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt
News brief: Bangladesh now run into a much stronger side in England, who are more aggressive than their 2023 version, and are carrying spinners aplenty for this edition. England also have a fully fit team to choose from. Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith has returned, and also present are Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn and Alice Capsey, with her handy part-time offbreaks. England are likely to go with three frontline spinners for a pitch that aided turn and didn’t see much bounce.
Bangladesh were restricted to 119 for 7 by Scotland in the opener, and scoring bigger or quicker against England will be a lot tougher. Bangladesh were the worst fielding side on the opening day, having put down four chances, and they will have to tighten that aspect if they want to think about beating England for the first time in women’s T20Is. This is an evening game, yet not as much dew is expected in Sharjah compared to Dubai, which might have been the reason why Pakistan opted to bat in the evening game here on Thursday.
Vishal Dikshit is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
Source link