ICC T20 World Cup | India Women Seek to Continue Winning Run against Bangladesh

The Indian women’s cricket team will look to continue their winning momentum when they take on Bangladesh in an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup clash at Perth on Monday.

On Friday, India successfully defended 132 against four-time champions Australia at the Sydney Showground Stadium and began their World Cup campaign with a hard-fought win.

Deepti Sharma contributed with a valuable knock of 49* and Poonam Yadav turned the match in India’s favour by picking up four wickets.



On Monday, a furious WACA picth will welcome both teams. Bangladesh have beaten India on a number of occasions in this format, with the most notable being in the final of the Asia Cup in 2018 where they won by three wickets.

The good news is about the top performers in batting and bowling department from that fateful tour. Match winner Poonam Yadav will still have the memories of 2018’s Asian Cup afresh where she stifled Bangladesh batters with astounding bowling figures of 4/9.

Smriti Mandhana will be waiting to avenge her 2016 T20 World Cup outing when leg spinner Fahima Khatun’s sent her back to the pavilion for a duck.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is the shining star against the new entrants, with scores of 40 and 77 in 2014 and 2016 edition of World Cup, bagging player of the match in both outings.

There remain concerns for India in the batting department, largely due to the middle order with Veda Krishnamurthy still yet to get into the groove. Their batting at the death will also have to improve.

Bangladesh look fairly balanced in bowling and fielding and are coached by former Indian wicketkeeper batter Anju Jain. The Arjuna Awardee and former opener played 65 ODIs and 8 Tests and has been at the helm from 2018.

Bangladesh’s highest fast bowling wicket-taker is Jahanara Alam, who possesses both pace and control. The WACA pitch historically known for good pace bowling and Alam’s pace and swing should be an ideal fit.

Squads

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Veda Krishnamurthy, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Rajeshwari Gaekwad, Richa Ghosh.

Bangladesh: Salma Khatun (c), Rumana Ahmed (vc), Jahanara Alam, Shamima Sultana, Murshida Khatun, Ayesha Rahman, Nigar Sultana, Sanjida Islam, Khadija-Tul-Kubra, Panna Ghosh, Fargana Haque, Nahida Akhter, Fahima Khatun, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary.