Deadline: February 21 at 1:30 PM IST
Venue: Sydney Showground Stadium, Sydney
Pitch report
During the Australian T20 League, the chasing team won 4 of 5 matches. The pitch, however, was on the slower side, helping the pacers outfox the batsmen with off-cutters.
Fantasy team
We have opted for a fantasy team on the basis of players’ impact, recent performances, and credit points.
You can also check players’ performances in the last 5 matches. Tap on the players’ images to get the data while making your fantasy team.
Wicketkeepers: Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy
Batsmen: Meg Lanning, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana (c)
All-rounders: Ellyse Perry (vc), Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Harmanpreet Kaur
Bowlers: Megan Schutt
NOTE: Pick your fantasy cricket team wisely.
Power players
In 9 T20Is, Smriti Mandhana has smashed as many as 374 runs at 46.7 including 3 half-centuries against Australia. In the recently concluded tri-series against Australia and England, she finished atop the batting charts: she scored 216 runs with a strike rate of 136.7.
Beth Mooney ranks No. 3 — one place above Mandhana — in ICC T20I Rankings for batters. In the tri-series she managed 8 runs fewer than Mandhana but at a better average of 52. Watch out for the openers!
A destructive batter, smart bowler and remarkable fielder: there’s nothing that Ellyse Perry cannot do on a cricket field, making her the favourite in the world of fantasy cricket.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s 171 against Australia in the semi-final of the 2017 World Cup changed the face of women’s cricket in India. She will have to weave a similar magic if India are to lift their maiden World T20 title. On her day, she can reduce any bowling attack to nothingness.
Value picks
Poonam Yadav is India’s highest wicket-taker in the format. The leg-spinner has taken 82 wickets at a stunning average of 14.6.
Megan Schutt is ranked No. 1 in ICC T20I Rankings for bowlers. She hasn’t gone wicketless for 23 T20Is.
Given the nature of the pitch, Radha Yadav and Deepti Sharma — ranked Nos. 3 and 4 respectively — will be handy with their finger spin. Then add Rajeshwari Gayakwad, the highest wicket-taker in the tri-series, to the mix. India have the most lethal spin attack in the tournament.
The onus of scaling up the run rate will be on the captain Meg Lanning, Australia’s highest run-scorer in the format.
Probable XIs
India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh/Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Australia: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardener, Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Sophia Molineux
Also, get to know the tips & tricks on how to play fantasy cricket.