NZ vs IND | Only T20I | Fantasy Preview


Written By: Jeet Vachharajani
Date: 08-02-2022

Picture Courtesy: Google Images

The World Cup is around the corner and here’s India starting their preparations in the best possible manner by playing the hosts in one T20I and five ODIs.

While this standalone T20I does not carry as much importance to either team, it should allow the players to flex their arms and start getting into the zone.

VENUE: John Davies Oval, Queenstown

It’s the first-ever women’s international game at the picturesque Queenstown. No big stands that block the ground would mean plenty of breeze which would allow early swing.

If the initial threat of swing bowling is negotiated, it will be a very good batting pitch with scores of 150+ expected.

There were two games played at this venue in the recently concluded Super Smash and the team batting first managed scores of 153/2 & 157/7.

The players to feature across those two games were Suzie Bates, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Green, Lauren Down, & Jess Kerr.

HEAD-TO-HEAD (Last 5 games)
New Zealand - 3 | India - 2

PROBABLE XIs:

New Zealand: Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Amy Satterthwaite, Frances Mackay, Katey Martin (Wk), Maddy Green, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Jansen, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Kerr, Fran Jonas/Rosemary Mair

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, S. Meghana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh (Wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Simran Bahadur, Renuka Singh

MUST-HAVES:

New Zealand:

  1. Amelia Kerr: In top form as an all-rounder. While she batted higher up the order for Wellington, it is unlikely that she will do the same for New Zealand.
  2. Sophie Devine: The most lethal all-rounders in T20 cricket. She was the POTM in the finals of Super Smash.
  3. Lea Tahuhu: Pinch-hitter and new ball value. Tahuhu has emerged as a power-hitter in the last few years. She can clear the ropes with ease. Her slingy action generates late movement and that outfoxes several batters.
  4. Amy Satterthwaite: All-round value with a century recently in the Super Smash. In the absence of Kasperek, Satterthwaite will have her role increased as an off-spinner alongside Frances Mackay. Not to forget, India will potentially have three LHBs in Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, & Deepti Sharma in their batting order. Satterthwaite is also used as a death-bowler and that is where the probability of getting wickets increases.
India:

  1. Deepti Sharma:  All-round value. She is India’s lead spinner and will bowls 4 overs at crucial times and ends up picking 1-2 wickets. She will have a major role to play with the bat as well with Amelia Kerr in the opposition ranks. Those sweep shots will come out!
  2. Smriti Mandhana:  India’s key batter. No matter where Smriti goes, she scores runs. She will have a major challenge in Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu, but if she can see off the initial phase, then she should be able to score a decent number of runs.
  3. Richa Ghosh: Preferred keeper keeping the credits in mind. Also, she has the ability to start with the 6th gear from Ball 1. Many other batters require to accelerate from gears 1-5 to reach the 6th gear, but Richa doesn’t.
  4. Shafali Verma: X-factor player. She’ll be challenged by Jess Kerr. But, you just cannot afford to leave her out. She has been practicing hard and she can be a game-changer within the powerplay itself.

X-FACTORS:

  1. Simran Bahadur: Can play the same role that Kate Ebrahim played in the Super Smash and can easily pick up 2-3 wickets at the death with her stump-to-stump bowling.
  2. Jess Kerr: New ball value + handy lower-order hitter. She also played a game at this venue in the Super Smash and swung it sharply.
ONE OF:

Suzie Bates: Top run-scorer in the Super Smash. But, she doesn’t bowl anymore as she has been recovering from a shoulder injury. If she’s dismissed early, then that is where the points will stop.

Harmanpreet Kaur: Kaur will be vital with the ball too. After her WBBL heroics, she might have to play the supporting role to Deepti.

The credit issues mean you can only pick one.



NZ vs IND | Only T20I | Fantasy Preview


Written By: Jeet Vachharajani
Date: 08-02-2022

Picture Courtesy: Google Images

The World Cup is around the corner and here’s India starting their preparations in the best possible manner by playing the hosts in one T20I and five ODIs.

While this standalone T20I does not carry as much importance to either team, it should allow the players to flex their arms and start getting into the zone.

VENUE: John Davies Oval, Queenstown

It’s the first-ever women’s international game at the picturesque Queenstown. No big stands that block the ground would mean plenty of breeze which would allow early swing.

If the initial threat of swing bowling is negotiated, it will be a very good batting pitch with scores of 150+ expected.

There were two games played at this venue in the recently concluded Super Smash and the team batting first managed scores of 153/2 & 157/7.

The players to feature across those two games were Suzie Bates, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Green, Lauren Down, & Jess Kerr.

HEAD-TO-HEAD (Last 5 games)
New Zealand - 3 | India - 2

PROBABLE XIs:

New Zealand: Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Amy Satterthwaite, Frances Mackay, Katey Martin (Wk), Maddy Green, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Jansen, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Kerr, Fran Jonas/Rosemary Mair

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, S. Meghana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh (Wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Simran Bahadur, Renuka Singh

MUST-HAVES:

New Zealand:

  1. Amelia Kerr: In top form as an all-rounder. While she batted higher up the order for Wellington, it is unlikely that she will do the same for New Zealand.
  2. Sophie Devine: The most lethal all-rounders in T20 cricket. She was the POTM in the finals of Super Smash.
  3. Lea Tahuhu: Pinch-hitter and new ball value. Tahuhu has emerged as a power-hitter in the last few years. She can clear the ropes with ease. Her slingy action generates late movement and that outfoxes several batters.
  4. Amy Satterthwaite: All-round value with a century recently in the Super Smash. In the absence of Kasperek, Satterthwaite will have her role increased as an off-spinner alongside Frances Mackay. Not to forget, India will potentially have three LHBs in Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, & Deepti Sharma in their batting order. Satterthwaite is also used as a death-bowler and that is where the probability of getting wickets increases.
India:

  1. Deepti Sharma:  All-round value. She is India’s lead spinner and will bowls 4 overs at crucial times and ends up picking 1-2 wickets. She will have a major role to play with the bat as well with Amelia Kerr in the opposition ranks. Those sweep shots will come out!
  2. Smriti Mandhana:  India’s key batter. No matter where Smriti goes, she scores runs. She will have a major challenge in Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu, but if she can see off the initial phase, then she should be able to score a decent number of runs.
  3. Richa Ghosh: Preferred keeper keeping the credits in mind. Also, she has the ability to start with the 6th gear from Ball 1. Many other batters require to accelerate from gears 1-5 to reach the 6th gear, but Richa doesn’t.
  4. Shafali Verma: X-factor player. She’ll be challenged by Jess Kerr. But, you just cannot afford to leave her out. She has been practicing hard and she can be a game-changer within the powerplay itself.

X-FACTORS:

  1. Simran Bahadur: Can play the same role that Kate Ebrahim played in the Super Smash and can easily pick up 2-3 wickets at the death with her stump-to-stump bowling.
  2. Jess Kerr: New ball value + handy lower-order hitter. She also played a game at this venue in the Super Smash and swung it sharply.
ONE OF:

Suzie Bates: Top run-scorer in the Super Smash. But, she doesn’t bowl anymore as she has been recovering from a shoulder injury. If she’s dismissed early, then that is where the points will stop.

Harmanpreet Kaur: Kaur will be vital with the ball too. After her WBBL heroics, she might have to play the supporting role to Deepti.

The credit issues mean you can only pick one.