Hyderabad: The reigning champion Australia will take on '4-dimensional' India in the opening match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held Down Under starting on Friday.
The tournament opener will be played at the Sydney Showground Stadium. And the final of the mega event is slated to be held at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on March 8, which also happens to be International Women’s Day.
Meg Lanning-led Australia are favourites to lift the coveted trophy. The Oz team will aim to bank on their current form and home advantage to lift the trophy for a record fifth time.
Australia are also the most successful side in the upcoming tournament, with having won the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018. Other than the Aussie team, England (2009) and West Indies (2016) have also won T20 World Cup once.
Coming to India, it must be noted that Women in Blue have never reached the finals of any T20I World Cup and the upcoming tournament will be a perfect opportunity for Harmanpreet Kaur-led outfit to break the jinx and lift the coveted trophy.
The ICC T20 World Cup, which starts tomorrow, will see 10 teams being divided into two groups of five teams each. Each team will play four league matches and after that, the top two teams from both the groups will contest in the semi-finals.
Live Broadcasts:
Other than the Indian cricket team, all the games will primarily be available in English commentary. However, Team India's matches will be broadcasted in both Hindi and English commentary.
Date – 21/02/2020 (Friday) – 08/03/2020 (Sunday).
GROUPS
Group A: Australia, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Group B: England, South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Thailand.
COMPLETE SCHEDULE (IST)
Feb 21: AUS vs IND, Sydney Showground, 1:30 PM
Feb 22: WI vs THA, Perth (WACA), 11:30 AM
Feb 22: NZ vs SL, Perth (WACA), 4:30 PM
Feb 23: ENG vs SA, Perth (WACA), 4:30 PM
Feb 24: AUS vs SL, Perth (WACA), 11:3 PM
Feb 24: IND vs BAN, Perth (WACA), 4:30 PM
Feb 26: ENG vs THA, Canberra, 8:30 AM
Feb 26: WI vs PAK, Canberra, 1:30 PM
Feb 27: IND vs NZ, Melbourne (Junction Oval), 8:30 AM
Feb 27: AUS vs BAN, Canberra, 1:30 PM
Feb 28: SA vs THA, Canberra, 8:30 AM
Feb 28: ENG v PAK, Canberra, 1:30 PM
Feb 29: NZ vs BAN, Melbourne (Junction Oval), 8:30 AM
Feb 29: IND vs Sri Lanka, Melbourne (Junction Oval), 1:30 PM
Mar 1: SA vs PAK, Sydney (Showground), 8:30 AM
Mar 1: ENG vs WI, Sydney (Showground), 1:30 PM
Mar 2: SL vs BAN, Melbourne (Junction Oval), 8:30 AM
Mar 2: AUS vs NZ, Melbourne (Junction Oval), 1:30 PM
Mar 3: PAK vs THA, Sydney (Showground), 8:30 AM
Mar 3: WI vs SA, Sydney (Showground), 1:30 PM
Mar 5: Semi-final 1, Sydney (SCG), 8:30 AM
Mar 5: Semi-final 1, Sydney (SCG), 1:30 PM
March 8: Final, Melbourne (MCG), 1:30 PM
SQUADS
Australia: Meg Lanning (C), Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner, Delissa Kimmince, Ellyse Perry, Erin Burns, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham.
Bangladesh: Murshida Khatun, Ayasha Rahman, Sanjida Islam, Fargana Hoque, Rumana Ahmed, Sobhana Mostary, Shamima Sultana, Nigar Sultana, Salma Khatun (C), Jahanara Alam, Khadija Tul Kubra, Panna Ghosh, Nahida Akter, Fahima Khatun, Ritu Moni.
England: Fran Wilson, Danielle Wyatt, Heather Knight (C), Katherine Brunt, Georgia Elwiss, Natalie Sciver, Mady Villiers, Tammy Beaumont, Amy Ellen Jones, Lauren Winfield, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Anya Shrubsole.
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Veda Krishnamurthy, Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Taniya Bhatia, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
New Zealand: Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Katie Perkins, Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Rosemary Mair, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Katey Martin, Rachel Priest, Holly Huddleston, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Anna Peterson, Lea Tahuhu.
Pakistan: Aliya Riaz, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Bismah Maroof (C), Anam Amin, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Nawaz, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Sadia Iqbal, Syeda Aroob Shah, Ayesha Naseem, Aiman Anwer.
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt, Dane van Niekerk (C), Nadine de Klerk, Nondumiso Shangase, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Lizelle Lee, Mignon du Preez, Trisha Chetty, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nonkululeko Mlaba.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Harshitha Madavi, Umesha Thimashini, Nilakshi de Silva, Hasini Perera, Shashikala Siriwardene, Udeshika Prabodhani, Sathya Sandeepani, Anushka Sanjeewani, Dilani Manodara, Hansima Karunaratne, Ama Kanchana, Kavisha Dilhari, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari.
Thailand: Sornnarin Tippoch (C), Naruemol Chaiwai, Rosenan Kanoh, Thipatcha Puttawong, Nattakan Chantam, Wongpaka Liengprasert, Phannita Maya, Chanida Sutthiruang, Nannapat Koncharoenkai, Suwanan Khiaoto, Nattaya Boochatham, Ratanaporn Padunglerd, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Soraya Lateh, Suleeporn Laomi.
West Indies: Britney Cooper, Cherry Ann Fraser, Sheneta Grimmond, Stafanie Taylor (C), Deandra Dottin, Chinelle Henry, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Shemaine Campbelle, Chedean Nation, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Lee-Ann Kirby, Shakera Selman.
