In what promises to be an exciting clash, New Zealand Women are set to take on Sri Lanka Women in Match 15 of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The match is scheduled to take place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Saturday, October 12.
After suffering a disappointing loss to Australia in their last game, New Zealand will be looking to bounce back and secure a much-needed victory. The 60-run defeat dealt a blow to their Net Run Rate (NRR), but the Kiwis have shown resilience and determination in the tournament so far, with one win from two games.
On the other side of the pitch, Sri Lanka Women have had a tough tournament, being the first team from Group A to be eliminated. With three losses from three matches, the Sri Lankan team will be hoping to salvage some pride by ending their campaign on a high note. A win in this match could potentially knock New Zealand out of the tournament.
The Sharjah Cricket Stadium pitch has been favoring bowlers, making it challenging for batters to score quickly. Spinners are expected to play a crucial role in containing the opposition, taking advantage of the slow outfield. Weather conditions for the match are expected to be clear, with no threat of rain and temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius.
In terms of player performance, Rosemary Mair and Amelia Kerr have been standout performers with the ball for New Zealand. The Kiwis will need to focus on building strong partnerships at the start of their innings, with emphasis on one of their top three batters staying at the crease for an extended period.
As for the predicted XI, New Zealand could field a team consisting of Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze, Rosemary Mair, Fran Jonas, Lea Tahuhu, and Eden Carson. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have struggled to post competitive totals, with Chamari Athapaththu shouldering much of the batting responsibility without significant support from the middle order.
The predicted XI for Sri Lanka includes Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Udeshika Prabodhani, and Inoka Ranaweera.
As the two teams gear up to face off in this crucial match, all eyes will be on how the players perform under pressure and whether Sri Lanka can upset the Kiwis to make a late impact on the tournament standings. Keep following the action to see who comes out on top in this exciting encounter.