Deadline: December 9, 2019 at 7 AM IST
Venue: Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur
Pitch Report
The pitch at Kinrara Academy Oval is a belter for batters, so much so that the highest score registered here is 324 for 7 by Australia against Pakistan.
Teams
Probable XI for Pakistan: Nahida Khan, Javeria Khan, Bismah Maroof (c), Umaima Sohail, Aliya Riaz, Sidra Ameen, Nida Dar, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Syeda Aroob Shah
Probable XI for England: Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight (c), Katherine Brunt, Natalie Sciver, Fran Wilson, Danielle Wyatt, Anya Shrubsole, Kirstie Gordon/Sarah Glenn, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross
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.
Note: You can now select 1-4 wicketkeepers, 1-6 batsmen, 1-6 all-rounders, 1-6 bowlers.
Wicketkeepers: Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (c)
Batsmen: Heather Knight, Umaima Sohail
All-rounders: Nida Dar (vc), Natalie Sciver, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan
Bowlers: Anya Shrubsole, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross
Preview
Pakistan’s journey in ODIs, since 1997, has been disappointing, having never won against India, England, and Australia. They have always had talented players at their disposal, but translating talent into performances has been the issue. To make matters worse, they will be playing without Sana Mir, their highest wicket-taker in the format; she has taken a break from international cricket to recalibrate her future goals.
English players, on the other hand, have come from a spectacular stint in the Women’s Big Bash League. They will be itching to continue their winning streak against Pakistan, and climb up in the ICC Women’s Championship ladder. With 10 wins they are at the second spot – only behind Australia.
Players To Watch Out For
Amy Jones was in a spectacular form in the BBL, having smashed 391 runs with a strike rate of 115.3. Her opening partner Tammy Beaumont scored 277 runs, while captain Heather Knight managed 282 runs.
Javeria Khan was impressive against Bangladesh last month in the T20I series: she smashed consecutive fifties on the dusty pitch of Lahore. The fact that she is Pakistan’s highest run-scorer makes her the player to watch out for from the Pakistan team. Bismah Maroof, however, is no less: the captain herself has scored 2,462 runs in 105 ODIs.
Nida Dar is back to the squad after her consistent performance in the women’s BBL. In all she has managed 66 wickets in 71 appearances, and more importantly, she is handy with the bat in the lower-order with 4 fifties to her name.
That being said, Pakistan will be vary of Katherine Brunt who has sniped up 148 wickets at 23. She makes a threatening pace-bowling pair with the ever-improving Anya Shrubsole.
Match Prediction
Pakistan, this year, enjoyed a few victories against South Africa, West Indies, and Bangladesh. If they continue what they did against these teams, they might as well put England on the backfoot. Otherwise, their chances to emerge triumphant seem remote.
