Defending champions India and hosts Sri Lanka strong favourites

• Women’s T20 Asia Cup semi-finals today

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The Women’s T20 Asia Cup at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium has been overshadowed by the playoff matches and final of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) and the arrival of the Men’s T20 World Cup champions India for a six-match white ball series against Sri Lanka.

The Women’s T20 Asia Cup has reached the semi-final stage and as expected the top four full member teams have qualified with defending champions India taking on Bangladesh in the first semi-final today at 2 p.m. and hosts Sri Lanka meeting Pakistan in the second semi-final at 7 p.m.

In the group stage both India and Sri Lanka came out with an unblemished record winning all three matches and of the eight teams, look the two strongest in the competition. They have simply swept aside all opposition with disdain.  

On current form India are strong favourites to reach yet another final. They have played 14 T20Is this year and have won 10; their losses have been to Australia (2) and South Africa (1) with one no-result. In this period Bangladesh have featured in 11 T20Is and emerged winners only in their last two matches of the Asia Cup against Thailand and Malaysia. Batting has been their biggest concern, and a lot will depend on their captain Nigar Sultana and their bespectacled opener Murshida Khatun who has scored back-to-back fifties against Thailand and Malaysia after missing the opening game against Sri Lanka.

The two countries have met on 22 occasions in this format over the years and India holds the upper hand with 19 wins. In Asia Cups the two teams are even-steven two wins apiece to each team out of four contests.  

India’s batting is a real powerhouse with every batter from the top having scored runs, especially opener Shafali Verma who is the second highest run scorer in the current tournament with 158 runs and a strike rate of 166.31. If Bangladesh manage to bat first and get a good score, they should be able to exert some pressure on India. 

Sri Lanka looks like the other red-hot team along with India. Led by Chamari Athapaththu they are playing some stunning cricket, but Pakistan will be a tougher test for them. Sri Lanka were convincing against Bangladesh, but they came up against a Pakistan side who after being outplayed against India have found some form at the top of the order with Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali who have been involved in two successive century opening partnerships. Their bowling and fielding have been hot and cold which is an area Sri Lanka could capitalise on.

Sri Lanka’s batting today is not only about Athapaththu who the leading run-getter in the tournament and the only centurion with 180 runs at a strike rate of is 155.17. There is Vishmi Gunaratne who got a fifty against Bangladesh and also Harshitha Samarawickrama. Sri Lanka’s bowling has been very solid having rested and rotated their players. As far as fielding is concerned Sri Lanka has been the best team in the competition with some stunning catches and excellent ground fielding. Pakistan will be up against a strong and confident Sri Lanka side.   

This year Sri Lanka has won 12 out of 15 T20Is and have posted convincing victories in the past seven months with contributions from several players. Considering their home advantage Sri Lanka will be a tough nut to crack as they look for their maiden Asia Cup title. As for Pakistan they have found it hard to find their rhythm this year. In 11 matches they only have wins against Nepal, UAE and West Indies (once) having fallen short several times by big margins. They will take some confidence going into the semi-finals from their ten-wicket win against UAE where their openers and spinners shone.

Head-to-head the contests between the two countries have been close with Pakistan having won 10 and Sri Lanka 8 with one no-result. In the Asia Cup, Pakistan have been dominant winning three out of four T20Is.