Bangladesh team: Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Taj Nehar, Shathi Rani, Disha Biswa
Team Scotland: Kathryn Bryce (captain), Chloe Abel, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Olivia Bell, Sarah Bryce (wk), Darcey Carter, Priyanaz Chatterji, Katherine Fraser, Saskia Horley, Lorna Jack, Ailsa Lister, Abtaha Maqsood, Megan McColl, Hannah Rainey, Rachel Slater
Short stories: Scotland are in the Women’s Cricket World Cup – either 50 overs or 20 overs – for the first time. They got there by making the Qualifier final earlier this year. They have lost each of their four T20Is against Bangladesh, the last of which came in September 2022. Bangladesh, however, last won a Women’s World T20 match in 2014, when they were the hosts. A chance to set the record straight at that time, after going four games without a win.
Player to watch: Nahida Akter, who has 99 T20I wickets, could hold the key to Bangladesh’s progress in the tournament. She is on course to become the first woman from Bangladesh – and only the third among women, behind Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman – to take 100 T20I wickets. With so many right-handed batsmen in Scotland’s line-up, he might be licking his lips.
Pakistan team: Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan
Sri Lanka Team: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilshari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Raka Ranaweera, Shandika Ranaweera, Shandika Kashini
Short stories: Sadia Iqbal was selected in the Pakistan team because of her fitness. He bowled seven overs in two warm-up matches and returned two wickets against Bangladesh. That would be a relief for Pakistan as Iqbal has not only played all of Pakistan’s completed 32 T20Is since the start of 2023 but is also their leading wicket-taker in that period. Sri Lanka have won their last three T20Is against Pakistan, including the semi-final of the Asia Cup this year.
Player to watch: Chamari Athapaththu usually gets a lot of attention from him when he goes to Sri Lanka. However, for the first time, he is coming to the World Cup with his team that has been presented as the dark horse of the tournament. And that may pose a challenge of a different kind – that of living up to the bat and the leader. But when has Athapaththu ever shied away from a tough gig?
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