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No athletics is arsenic enchantingly uncertain arsenic cricket. The Women’s T20 World Cup, however, begins with a grim certainty: 1 of the 3 champion teams volition not past beyond the radical stage.
Australia, India and South Africa are each fabulous outfits with immoderate of the biggest superstars successful the game. Australia has won six of the 9 erstwhile editions; India is the reigning ODI World champion; South Africa has contested the past 3 World Cup finals crossed formats.
Sadly, astatine slightest 1 of those sides volition not marque it to the semifinals from Group A.
Australia whitethorn beryllium going done an inevitable signifier of transition, station the retirements of long-time skipper Meg Lanning and caller skipper Alyssa Healy, but it inactive looks the strongest, astir implicit side. Healy had led the Aussies admirably, from down and successful beforehand of the stumps, aft taking implicit from Lanning. Many of her teammates, who person known her for respective years, indispensable beryllium missing her banter, consciousness of humour, not to notation her evident skills: she had bid farewell lone 3 months ago.
Her replacement astatine the apical of the bid hasn’t done badly, though. Georgia Voll, is successful fact, the world’s No. 1 batter successful T20 cricket. That is however steadfast the Australian seat is.
Apart from Voll, the batting boasts specified proven performers arsenic Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner and Grace Harris. Many of them are due all-rounders, too. Bowling has variety, successful pacers similar Megan Schutt, Nicola Carey and Lucy Hamilton and spinners specified arsenic Alana King, Georgia Wareham and skipper Sophie Molineux.
The South Africans whitethorn not person to woody with specified a occupation of plenty. But they person Laura Wolvaardt.
And the skipper fantastic is successful unthinkable form. In the five-match T20I bid against India astatine location she had scores of 51, 54, 115, 18 and 92 not out. South Africa won 4-1: nary prize for guessing which lucifer her squad lost.
South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt has been successful unthinkable form. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Ahead of the World Cup, South Africa got a large boost with Shabnim Ismail coming retired of retirement. Her sheer gait should complement the singular skillset of Marizanne Kapp, who is besides 1 of the game’s premier all-rounders.
South Africa has respective different talents, specified arsenic Sune Luus, Tazmin Brits, Chloe Tryon and Ayabonga Khaka. They each should beryllium keen not to springiness the satellite different crushed to telephone their state a clump of chokers astatine cricket.
Two different Asian countries are grouped with India. The expectations aren’t precocious from Pakistan oregon Bangladesh, though. Both teams person immoderate good players, but they could find it pugnacious to situation the large 3 successful the group. The likes of Pakistan’s skipper Fatima Sana and Bangladesh’s Marufa Akter person the crippled to instrumentality connected the large girls.
The Netherlands completes the group. The Dutchmen had done their state arrogant astatine the 2023 ODI World Cup successful India. Skipper Babette de Leede’s relative Bas was portion of that team. She would privation her squad to pen a akin inspiring story.
