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September 21, 2024
Inoka Ranaweera, a 38-year-old left-arm spinner, has been named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, replacing 21-year-old seamer Kawya Kavindi. Ranaweera was left out of the squad for the Women’s Asia Cup in July, which Sri Lanka won, and was also omitted from recent squads for Ireland.
Given that the T20 World Cup will likely be played on spin-friendly pitches in the UAE, Ranaweera’s experience is considered valuable. While her performance in T20s this year hasn’t been particularly strong, she has a solid record with 91 wickets in 82 T20I matches and an economy rate of 5.86.
Kavindi’s exclusion means Sri Lanka now has only three main seam options in their World Cup squad: Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, and Ama Kanchana.
Sri Lanka’s spin bowling lineup is strong, with Inoka Ranaweera joining Inoshi Priyadharshani, Sugandika Kumari, and Kavisha Dilhari, all of whom could play key roles in the tournament. Captain Chamari Athapaththu also contributes with her offspin.
On the batting side, this Sri Lanka squad appears to be the strongest yet. Alongside Athapaththu, Harshitha Samarawickrama and 18-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne have been in excellent form recently. Their victory in the Asia Cup has boosted their confidence, as they aim for a spot in the T20 World Cup’s final four.
The World Cup starts on October 3, and Sri Lanka is placed in Group A with Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and India.
Sri Lanka Women’s T20 World Cup Squad:
Travelling Reserve:
South Africa secured an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the final match of their series, successfully chasing down a target of 154 runs with nine balls to spare. This win marked their joint fifth-highest successful chase in T20 internationals.
Anneke Bosch played a crucial role, retiring just four runs short of her fifth half-century due to the extreme heat, while Laura Wolvaardt contributed 45 runs and Annerie Dercksen remained unbeaten with 44, guiding South Africa to victory.
In the first day match of the series, Pakistan struggled in the heat, showing a lack of intensity despite a promising start. Muneeba Ali executed an impressive stumping of Tazmin Brits off Sadia Iqbal’s delivery, marking Sadia’s sixth wicket and making her the leading bowler of the series. However, she didn’t receive much support from her teammates.
Diana Baig and Fatima Sana struggled on the slow pitch, while Nida Dar was costly. Although Nashra Sandhu and Tuba Hassan were economical, South Africa managed to score freely against the other bowlers.
A key strength in South Africa’s chase was their batters’ footwork against spin, which has been a past weakness. Laura Wolvaardt was strong down the ground, while Anneke Bosch and Annerie Dercksen effectively scored square of the wicket. This performance puts South Africa in a positive position ahead of the T20 World Cup in the UAE next month.
In contrast, Pakistan will be disappointed after missing the chance to set a larger total following a strong start. Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza partnered for 49 runs during the powerplay, but their momentum stalled when Gull returned a catch to Sune Luus, who has been effective with her offspin since the mid-year tour of India. Muneeba was run out shortly after, leaving Pakistan’s middle order needing to regroup.
Former captain Nida Dar has now become Pakistan’s second-highest T20I run-scorer, just behind Bismah Marhoon. She got a break when Nadine de Klerk dropped her on 10 but only added two more runs before being bowled by Nonkululekho Mlaba while trying to adjust for spin. Fatima Sana contributed a quick 27 runs off 17 balls, forming a crucial 46-run partnership with Sidra Amin. However, after her dismissal, Pakistan struggled to score quickly.
Chloe Tryon’s left-arm spin was particularly tough for Pakistan to handle. She bowled during the 16th and 19th overs, conceding only 11 runs and finishing with figures of 1 for 23 in four overs. Sune Luus was South Africa’s most economical bowler, allowing just 18 runs in her four overs. Notably, South Africa managed to keep Pakistan under control even without Marizanne Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka, who were rested for the second and third matches.
Fielding remains a significant issue for both teams, but it was especially costly for Pakistan in the final match. They dropped Annerie Dercksen when she had just seven runs, which allowed her to finish the game strong. Across the three matches, a total of nine catches were missed, with South Africa responsible for six of those errors. Both teams will need to improve their catching skills, especially under low light conditions in Dubai.
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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