Batting key, as defending champs tackle focused Bangladesh

2018 ICC WWT20 R1…

By Clifton Ross
Windies women will be gunning for a win in their opening International Cricket Council (ICC) World T20 title defence against the Bangladeshis under lights when their encounter bowls off from 20:00h at the Providence National Stadium, Guyana.

The defending champs lost to India by five wickets a few nights ago in their warm-up match at Providence and with the practice match now history, it will be crucial for the Caribbean ladies to shrug off the woes and focus on getting back to their winning ways.
Batting will be the key for Windies, who have been in good form over the past few months. Much will revolve around their senior players: Captain Stafanie Taylor, all-rounder Deandra Dottin, Vice Captain Hayley Matthews, spinner Anisa Mohammed and others who have been the core of the team.

Matthews in particular could play a big role, as the opener scored her maiden hundred in the series versus South Africa which concluded a little before the Cup. The Bajan also top-scored against India the other day showing her aggression with a 37-ball 41 in a losing cause, but will be keen on continuing her form tonight.
Taylor, Guyanese batting star Shemaine Campbell, who is also in good nick; Natasha Mclean and others have been solid in the runs department during their campaigns leading up to the event. The champs will also strongly back their star-studded bowling department, which will be a force to reckon with by any side.
With the leg-spin twins – Mohammed, their most successful T20 bowler and her partner Afy Fletcher –coupled with Matthews’s part-time spin, the Windies have a strong slow-bowling clique. Fletcher and Mohammed will be X-factors as their experience and form have only improved heading into The World Cup.
Dottin remains a main player in both departments and her three-fer against the Indians in the warm-ups is a reminder of her class while Taylor and medium-pacer Shakera Selman will strongly support the seam unit.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, have adapted well to the Asian-like scenario as they showed skill and confidence by trouncing the Irish by a six-wicket margin in their warm-ups, to help get their campaign underway. The Tigers will be keen on capitalising on the outcome of their last game as well as their opponents for this evening.
Ayasha Rahman, Fargana Hoque, and Sanjida Islam were all amongst the runs against Ireland, showing their hunger as most of their top-order looked to be in good match form and they will need to be should they counterattack a world-class Windies bowling attack.
The visitors will also feel joy when it comes to their bowlers as the ladies showed their adaptability on the local surface. Rumana Ahmed, who snared three wickets and Jahanara Alam, who grabbed two to complete an aggressive bowling outing, will need to maintain their form with the ball and look to contain a dangerous West Indies line-up.
Meanwhile, Friday’s triple-header at Providence bowls off from 11:00h with New Zealand battling India followed by the Aussies squaring off against Pakistan at 16:00h; before the grand finale under lights which bowls off from 20:00h.