The mighty Australian side will have a new challenge as they come up against West Indies in the 14th game of ICC Women's World Cup match at Basin Reserve in Wellington on March 15, 2022. It will be a mouth-watering fixture as one team dominates their opponents in their games while the other gives you an edge-of-the-seat thriller.
The Kangaroos are currently in the pole position with three wins in as many games and will look to further extend their winning streak. On the other hand, West Indies have been dented by a massive loss against India Women, which pushed them down to fifth place with four points in their kitty.
On Sunday, the Aussies would be coming off after annihilating the White Ferns in the Trans-Tasman clash. However, Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath's half-centuries were overshadowed by an unbeaten quickfire 48 from just 18-balls from Ashleigh Gardner, which kept the White Ferns at Bay. Then, Darcie Brown shook the batting order of their opponents with her three wickets. Eventually, she helped skittle the hosts for just 128.
With Gardner, McGrath and Brown making a statement in their comeback game have reduced the pressure on Perry, skipper Meg Lanning and Allysa Healy. They will go with the same team. It looks like a balanced one.
After winning a couple of very close contests by narrow margins, West Indies lost to India by a huge margin. They were at the receiving end of some masterclass batting displays from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. Hayley Matthews continued her excellent form while Deandra Dottin provided an explosive start with her quick-fire fifty. But their middle and lower-order crumbled, and they were bundled out for 162.
Hayley Matthews hasn't yet failed in the tournament with the bat, with her low score being 43 in the three matches played. Dottin is always excellent in all three departments of the game. We are yet to see the best from captain Stafanie Taylor, and this might be the match where she performs to her standards. Anisa Mohammed, Shamilia Connell, and Shakera Selam will try to contribute with the ball to restrict the opposition, which is a daunting task.
Recently, they met each other in a warm-up game where Australia came on top with a 90-run win. So fasten your seat belt for one more edge of the seat thriller.
Match Details:
Australia Women vs West Indies Women- Match 14
Date and Time- March 15, 2022, 3:30 AM IST
Venue- Basin Reserve, Wellington
Broadcast- Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Disney+Hotstar
Pitch Report:
It's understood that the Basin reserve pitch will have something in it for the seamers, and it will be hard to start the innings. However, when set, batters are expected to go big. The wind is a significant factor, and Australia playing their previous game here would have adjusted to it nicely. Still, the West Indies are playing their first game here. The average score batting first is around the 260s. Since it's a morning game, the toss winner is expected to bowl first, but runs on the board isn't a bad option either.
Weather Conditions:
According to weather reports, there is no rain. It will remain sunny throughout the match, with some clouds hovering around.
Squads:
Australia Women
Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Alana King, Amanda Wellington, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Nicola Carey, Annabel Sutherland.
West Indies Women
Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Kycia Knight, Stafanie Taylor (c), Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Chedean Nation, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Anisa Mohammed, Shakera Selman, Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharack, Rashada Williams, Cherry Ann Fraser.
Probable Playing XI:
Australia Women
Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Alana King, Amanda Wellington, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown.
West Indies Women
Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Kycia Knight, Stafanie Taylor (c), Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Chedean Nation, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Anisa Mohammed, Shakera Selman.
CE Fantasy XI:
Deandra Dottin, Stafanie Taylor, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Darcie Brown
Captain- Meg Lanning
Vice-Captain- Hayley Matthews