Gujarat Giants will seek more runs from their top-order to extend their belligerent run with the bat while Mumbai Indians will look to hit their strides after a tough opener in the Women’s Premier League in Vadodara on Tuesday. Gujarat Giants, who finished last in the previous two seasons, seem to have fix their batting woes with Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner doing the heavy lifting in the first two games. Beth Mooney has scored a fifty at the top of the order but her opening partner Laura Wolvaardt is yet to come good.

Giants amassed 201 in their opening game but still lost before Gardner ensured they gunned down a 144-run target rather comfortably.

The pressure is increasing on the Indian batters to deliver especially number three D Hemalatha.

With the ball as well, captain Gardner has led from the front and has got good support from leg-break bowler Priya Mishra.

Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, would like to put the controversy over multiple run-outs in their tournament opener behind when they take the field against Giants.

The positives from their last-ball loss to Delhi Capitals came via Nat Sciver Brunt and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who both seemed at their destructive best.

Making a comeback from injury, opener Yastika Bhatia needs to have a productive season. Mumbai Indians will also expect more from the lower middle order comprising Sajeevan Sajana and Amanjot Kaur.

Skipper Harmanpreet had rued the lack of partnerships in the middle phase that led to Mumbai Indians losing their way after batting first against Delhi Capitals.

“Playing full 20 overs and whoever is there, that batter should bat till the end. Even myself I should have continued till the end. Our batters need to take more responsibility in the next game,” she said.

On the bowling front, Mumbai Indians can always rely on South Africa pacer Shabnim Ismail, who remains as potent as ever despite retiring from international cricket in 2023.

Gujarat Giants: Beth Mooney (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner (c), Deandra Dottin, Simran Shaikh, Harleen Deol, Tanuja Kanwar, Sayali Satghare, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam, Meghna Singh, Danielle Gibson, Phoebe Litchfield, Mannat Kashyap, Shabnam Shakil, Prakashika Naik, Bharti Fulmali.

Mumbai Indians: Hayley Matthews, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, Amanjot Kaur, Jintimani Kalita, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque, Keerthana Balakrishnan, Chloe Tryon, Parunika Sisodia, Amandeep Kaur, G Kamalini, Akshita Maheshwari, Nadine de Klerk.

India women’s cricket team in action.© BCCI

Melbourne Renegades crowned champions of the 2024 edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) as they beat Brisbane Heat by 7 runs at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. It was the all-round performance of Hayley Matthews that helped the Renegades clinch their maiden WBBL title. After winning the toss Brisbane Heat sent the Renegades to bat first at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Hayley Matthews (69 runs from 61 balls, 8 fours) opened along with Courtney Webb (9 runs from 8 balls, 2 fours). Even though Webb failed to perform, it was Matthews’ blitz knock that propelled Renegade to 141/9 in the first inning.

Georgia Wareham (21 runs from 21 balls, 3 fours) and Naomi Stalenberg (16 runs from 12 balls, 2 fours) also played a crucial role in the inning as they helped Matthews build a partnership and add some crucial runs on the board.

Matthews’ knock came to an end in the final over of the inning, it was Charli Knott who managed to take the crucial wicket but it was too late and the devastation was already done as the Renegades put up 141/9 on the scoreboard.

Knott led the Brisbane bowling attack, with her three-wicket haul. Meanwhile, Grace Parsons bagged two wickets in his four-over spell. Nicola Hancock, Lucy Hamilton, and Jess Jonassen took one wicket each in their respective spells.

Rain played a spoilsport during the inning break and delayed the game, for which the second inning was reduced to 12 overs, and as per DLS method, the target was cut short to 98 runs.

During the run chase, Brisbane Heat showcased a sloppy performance with the bat. Both the top and middle order failed to put up a show in the game.

However, Jess Jonassen played a captain’s knock in the second inning and was the top run-getter among her teammates. Jonassen played a 44-run knock from 28 balls at a strike rate of 157.14. She smashed 5 fours and 1 six during her time on the crease.

Brisbane came closer to victory but failed short of just a few runs which stopped them from getting a hold of the silverware.

Matthews led the Melbourne Renegade bowling attack as she picked up three wickets in her three-over spell. Meanwhile, Charis Bekker, Milly Illingworth, Sophie Molineux, and Deandra Dottin bagged one wicket each in their respective spells.

Hayley Matthews was named the Player of the Match following her scintillating performance with both bat and ball.

West Indies Women vs New Zealand Women LIVE Telecast: After record champions Australia bowed out of the tournament, all other semi-finalists would be fancying their chances at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 crown. New Zealand will be aiming for a first Women’s T20 World Cup final since the inaugural two editions. On the other hand, West Indies have never entered the final apart from the one time they won the crown in 2016. The Windies beat New Zealand en route to the title in that year, and would be pinning their hopes on a similar story. But New Zealand have beaten India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and won’t be pushovers.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: West Indies vs New Zealand, 2nd Semi Final LIVE Streaming, Check Where and How to Watch LIVE Telecast

When will the West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match take place?

The West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match will take place on October 18 (IST).

Where will the West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match be held?

The West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match will be held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.

What time will the West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match start?

The West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match will start at 7:30 PM IST (7 PM toss).

Which TV channels will show the live telecast of the West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match?

The West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match will be live telecast on the Star Sports Network.

Where to follow live streaming of the West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match?

The West Indies vs New Zealand, Women’s T20 World Cup 2nd semi-final match will be live streamed on the Disney+ Hotstar website and app.

(All details are as per information shared by the broadcaster)

West Indies defeated England by six wickets as Hayley Matthews’ side joined South Africa in advancing from Group B at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Chasing a target of 142, openers Hayley Matthews (50) and Qiana Joseph (52) launched a blistering assault, both scoring half-centuries. A rattled England dropped several chances, and their four wickets came too late to stop the West Indies from sealing the victory with two overs to spare. Earlier, a brilliant performance from Nat Sciver-Brunt had set West Indies a target of 142. England had been reduced to 34/3, with Deandra Dottin starring in the field.

However, Sciver-Brunt led a superb recovery, scoring an unbeaten 57 from 50 balls to guide her team to 141/7.

Afy Fletcher was the pick of the bowlers for the West Indies, taking 3/21, while Dottin contributed 1/16 in three overs, along with three catches and a run-out.

England also suffered a blow when captain Heather Knight sustained a calf injury, preventing her from taking the field in the second innings. She could only watch as her team crumbled.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. She soon made an impact, breaking a strong start by England’s openers to dismiss the dangerous Danni Wyatt-Hodge (16 from 12).

Wyatt-Hodge was caught brilliantly in the ring by Dottin, who had just been moved into position, with celebrations suggesting the dismissal was a planned tactical move.

Dottin was involved again as England ended the powerplay at 34/2, running out Alice Capsey (1) following some miscommunication between the batters.

England continued to attack despite losing early wickets. Maia Bouchier, attempting to keep up the aggressive approach, skied a catch to Qiana Joseph, cutting short her promising knock of 14 from 19 and leaving England in need of a rebuild.

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight formed a game-changing partnership in the middle overs, with Knight playing the aggressor and Sciver-Brunt acting as the steady anchor.

England had a stroke of luck when replays revealed a not-out decision could have been overturned, but West Indies had no reviews left.

The pair added 46 before a concerning development for England as Knight (21* from 13) was forced to retire hurt.

England’s middle and lower order couldn’t contribute substantially but provided support to Sciver-Brunt. Amy Jones (7), Charlie Dean (5), and Danielle Gibson (7) all scored at a run-a-ball. Sophie Ecclestone, who hit the team’s only six, was also dismissed, caught by Dottin after scoring 7 from 4.

Thanks largely to Sciver-Brunt’s half-century, England reached 141/7 in their 20 overs, setting a target that proved insufficient against a dominant West Indies side.

South Africa vs West Indies, 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup LIVE Updates© X (Twitter)

As the 10 teams prepare for the start of the 2024 T20 Women’s World Cup, here’s a look at six players who are at the forefront of their team’s hopes of lifting the trophy on October 20.

Australia:

Beth Mooney – The seasoned Australia opener is top of the ICC’s T20 batter rankings going into the World Cup and the six-time champions will be relying on her once again at the top of the order. A key member of the sides that won the last three editions of the T20 World Cup, Mooney was named ‘Player of the Series’ in 2020 after nailing an unbeaten 78 in the final as the Aussies saw off India. Having clattered 50 from 30 balls in the warm-up win over England in Dubai, there is every reason to think the 30-year-old is primed to add to her two T20I hundreds. 

England:

Sophie Ecclestone – The 25-year-old left-arm spinner from Cheshire made her international debut eight years ago. She is now the highest-ranked bowler in the ICC’s T20 and ODI rankings and in June she became the youngest bowler to take 100 ODI wickets. Nearly six feet tall, Ecclestone brings accuracy, economy and guile to the attack, making her a key weapon for skipper Heather Knight. “I love captaining her,” says Knight. “The control she gives you as a captain and the attacking threat she gives you on both edges is really cool.”

India:

Deepti Sharma – Notorious to some for her controversial ‘Mankad’ dismissal of England’s Charlie Dean in an ODI two years ago, Deepti Sharma is celebrated more widely for the all-round excellence of her game. The 27-year old, who bats left-handed and bowls right-arm off-spin, is ranked second among T20 bowlers worldwide and the third best all-rounder. India have never won a women’s World Cup and Sharma believes victory in the UAE could change the sport at home: “If we win the World Cup things will really change from every perspective and each woman will want to play cricket after that, so I’m hoping for the best,” she told Cricinfo.

South Africa: 

Sune Luus -A year after leading South Africa to their first ever white-ball final, Sune Luus is in the ranks in the UAE as a batter who also bowls off-spin, having switched from leggies. The 28 year-old had a terrible white-ball series against Sri Lanka earlier this year, making just 22 runs in the T20Is and 43 in the ODIs but bounced back with 65 and 109 in a losing cause in a one-off Test in Chennai, following that with 53 not out in a T20I against Pakistan in Multan in a three-match series where her strike rate was 136. “You always want to score and contribute,” she said. “But I think before the World Cup, just having those performances gave me that confidence to know that you can still hit the ball.” 

Sri Lanka: 

Vishmi Gunaratne – Only just turned 19, Vishmi Gunaratne is a great player in the making. Thus far the young opener’s figures since coming on to the senior international scene aged 16 do not stack up with the very best – in 43 T20Is she averages 20, at a strike rate of 92, with three fifties. She does, however, have an ODI hundred to her name. The fact that it came against Ireland in Belfast last month a week before her birthday – becoming only the second Sri Lankan after veteran skipper Chamari Athapaththu to hit a ton – suggests she is running into form at the right time. Maybe this is the tournament where Gunaratne shows off the full potential that was so evident when she hammered a 128-ball 417 in an Under-19 women’s tournament in Sri Lanka two years ago.

West Indies: 

Hayley Matthews -As an 18-year-old, Hayley Matthews gave early notice of her talent, clubbing 66 off 45 balls as West Indies chased down 149 to halt the Australian juggernaut and win the 2016 T20 World Cup. Not surprisingly, she was named Player of the Match with the game acting as a springboard for a career that has seen her playing franchise cricket across the world. In 96 T20Is, the West Indies captain averages 25 with two centuries with the bat (at a strike rate of 112) and has taken 99 wickets with her off-spin. Now 26, Matthews is under no illusions about the task ahead: “We’re going in as underdogs again and there’s no doubt about that,” she said.

MIW vs GGW, WPL 2024, Live Score Updates© BCCI