Time: March 9, 3:30 AM IST
Venue: University Oval, Dunedin
Pitch Report
Both teams lost all 10 wickets in the opening game at the University Oval, but the pitch is far better for batting than what the scorecards suggest. New Zealand belted runs at 7.2 per over in the second game.
The weather in Dunedin will be partly cloudy on Wednesday, with short bursts of rain forecast in the late afternoon.
Teams
Probable XI for West Indies: Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Kycia Knight, Stafanie Taylor (c), Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Chedean Nation, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, Anisa Mohammed, Shakera Selman, Shamilia Connell
Probable XI for England: Lauren Winfield Hill, Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight (c), Natalie Sciver, Amy Ellen Jones (wk), Danielle Wyatt, Sophia Dunkley, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross, Anya Shrubsole
Fantasy Tips
We have opted for a fantasy cricket team based on the recent performances, overall impact, and credit points.
Power Players
Had it not been for Hayley Matthews’ 119 off 128, West Indies wouldn’t have been able to put up a competitive total and start the campaign on a winning note. She later complemented it with bowling figures of 2 for 41.
Natalie Sciver was the captain of the Ultimate Team in the game between England and Australia, providing points with both bat and ball. She smashed 109 off 85 and took 2 for 68. Against the West Indies, she has accumulated 231 runs and taken 9 wickets in 11 games.
Deandra Dottin is a player of many talents. She faced the first ball and bowled the final over of the match. She played a short but brisk innings of 12 off 7. However, her heroics came in the last over: she defended 6 runs and took 2 wickets in the process. To make her case stronger, she has maintained an impressive record against England. She has hit 231 runs and bagged 17 wickets in 16 games.
Tammy Beaumont continued her good form from the warm-ups, scoring 74 off 82 and laying a strong foundation for the chase. From the current squad of both teams, she is the highest run-scorer between them. Her 360 runs have come at an average of 36.
Smart Picks
Stafanie Taylor did her bit in the middle-overs, stitching a vital partnership of 66 runs with Hayley to steady the ship. She is the highest run-scorer (312) for West Indies against England.
Katherine Brunt strikes at 29.6 against West Indies, maintaining an incredible economy of 3.1. She can provide handy points with the bat too. She scored 25 off 21 against Australia.
Despite going for runs, Anisa Mohammed maintained her composure. Her two quick wickets in the middle-overs turned the game in West Indies’ favour.
Sophie Ecclestone ended up wicketless, but not to forget that she ranks No. 2 in ICC Rankings for bowlers and that it was a rare failure. She has taken 8 wickets in 5 games against the West Indies.
Heather Knight’s 40 kept England in the hunt. It was her counterattack that kept Australia from making further inroads.
Chinelle Henry pouched two catches, inflicted one run-out, took one wicket, and scored 8 runs, overall providing 35.5 points.
Match Preview
Both teams arrive at Dunedin with a cracker of a contest on their backs. Unfortunately, England fell painfully short by 12 runs in a tough chase of 313 runs. On the other hand, West Indies smothered the hosts while defending 259 runs in what turned out to be a last-over thriller.
Overall, England have an upper hand. They have won 10 of 15 ODIs against the West Indies. In World Cup, they are yet to taste defeat against the West Indies.
