Christchurch: India shall be banking on an all-round present as they face South Africa of their ultimate league match to seal their spot within the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Currently, India are on six factors, with three wins and as many losses whereas South Africa are already into the semi-finals. If they’re to enter the semi-finals, India want a win. If they lose to an in-form South Africa aspect, they are going to be out of the competitors.
It has been a fairly up-and-down marketing campaign for India within the event. In one match, they’re a successful aspect however within the very subsequent recreation, they find yourself because the dropping staff. Sample this: towards West Indies, they made 317 and gained by 144 runs. In the very subsequent match towards defending champions England, they have been all out for 134 and misplaced by 4 wickets.
In India’s batting on the World Cup, dropping wickets in clusters has change into an everyday incidence. Against Pakistan, they have been 114/6 earlier than Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar saved the day with a 122-run partnership. When going through New Zealand, they have been 95/5 and finally misplaced by 62 runs. India was 78/3 towards the West Indies earlier than Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur slammed centuries.
When going through England, India have been tottering at 86/7 and have been bowled out for 134. Against Australia, they misplaced two wickets inside the first 10 overs and two in successive overs within the final ten stage. When going through Bangladesh, India slipped from 74/0 to 74/3 and have been 108/4 earlier than Yastika Bhatia and Sneh Rana staged a rescue act.
“With such a really essential recreation tomorrow, everybody within the staff is aware of their roles. All within the staff are prepared to present their 100%. Whenever somebody goes out to bat, we at all times consider creating partnerships and take others together with you and again one another on a regular basis in batting. I simply hope that we get good partnerships tomorrow as a batting unit. Our bowling and fielding models have additionally acquired loads higher. We have been enhancing as a staff,” were Shafali Verma’s words on batting improvements in the pre-match virtual press conference.
Shafali, out of the eleven after scoring a duck against Pakistan, came back against Australia and showed glimpses of shrugging her poor form by making a stroke-filled 42 against Bangladesh. Smriti Mandhana has looked good at the crease but will want to bat for long. Yastika Bhatia has been a solid performer for India, notching up half-centuries at three.
Ideally, India would like for runs to flow from Mithali Raj’s bat. The skipper, one of the most experienced players in the side, hasn’t been at her best self with the bat, barring the half-century against Australia. Her deputy, Harmanpreet Kaur, has been consistent with the bat and with Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana, has been leading India’s charge with the final ten overs.
Their bowling attack, which took a beating against Australia, bounced back strongly against Bangladesh. But India might be tempted to bring in pacer Meghna Singh for leg-spinner Poonam Yadav due to the Hagley Oval’s nature of helping the fast bowlers. They will also be buoyed by the fact that South Africa haven’t been at their best while batting against spin, something which all-rounder Chloe Tryon touched upon.
“We know we want to try to take the strike as much as we can and I felt that we haven’t done enough of that and not just against India. If you look at other teams that we have played. We also struggled a little bit against Bangladesh and Pakistan and so it’s just making sure that we’re still ticking that scoreboard over and not trying to get into two minds. We are at the business end of the World Cup now and we don’t want to be eating up too many dot balls.”
Opener Laura Wolvaardt has been essentially the most profitable batter for her staff, making 353 runs and is the second-highest run-getter within the event. Wolvaardt has made 4 successive half-centuries however is but to achieve the three-figure mark. Her companion, Lizelle Lee, has not been at her dominating self whereas South Africa nonetheless haven’t solved the toss-up between Tazmin Brits and Lara Goodall on who bats at quantity three.
Captain Sune Luus has acquired three fifties whereas Marizanne Kapp has been chipping in with essential wickets and match-winning cameos. Mignon du Preez confirmed indicators of coming again to type with an unbeaten 38 in a rained-off match towards West Indies. In phrases of bowling, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klass present sufficient ammunition with fiery tempo.
If there was an event the place India would love for his or her batting, bowling and fielding to click on in unison, then the do-or-die match towards South Africa is the one, particularly with a semi-final berth on the road.
Squads:
India: Mithali Raj (captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Poonam Yadav
South Africa: Suné Luus (captain), Chloé Tryon (vice-captain), Ayabonga Khaka, Lara Goodall, Laura Wolvaardt, Lizelle Lee, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Mignon du Preez, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Tazmin Brits, Trisha Chetty (wicket-keeper) and Tumi Sekhukhune
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