India vs Pakistan
Dubai, 2pm local time
Team India: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, S Sajana
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
Short stories: In the match against Sri Lanka, Diana Baig bowled just one ball before suffering what appeared to be a calf injury. It is understood that Baig did not train the night before the game and will be tested on Sunday before the game. The India-Pakistan rivalry is instead in favor of India. India have won five of the seven matches they have played against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, and Pakistan’s last win was in the 2016 tournament. India have also won 12 out of 15 matches against them in T20 matches. Nevertheless, the game is expected to draw huge crowds, as more than 10,000 tickets have been sold for the game on Sunday.
Players to watch: Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal is having her best year in T20Is. Of all players in the T20 World Cup, he has taken the most wickets in 2024, with 24 wickets in 15 matches. He was impressive in the first match against Sri Lanka as well, taking three wickets in the middle order, including top-scorer Nilakshika Silva. He finished with 3-of-17 figures.
Scotland vs West Indies
Dubai, 6pm local time
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
West Indies Team: Hayley Matthews (captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle (vice-capt, wk), Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Karishma Ramharack, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa Crafton
Short stories: West Indies are awaiting injury updates on several key players. Bowler Zaida James was hit in the jaw trying to catch it again but captain Hayley Matthews said after the game “hopefully she will be able to come back in the next game”. Senior all-rounder Stafanie Taylor was also visibly upset as she scored 44 not out. It turned out that he was suffering from knee pain and said he would be tested before training on Saturday.
Player to watch: Scotland will certainly want to use the offspin of Saskia Horley more. Having bowled two overs in the match against Bangladesh, he got three wickets for just 13 runs when he was brought into the attack in the 18th over. He had an impressive batting run in the Netherlands ODI tri-series in August and in the match against PNG, he took 4 for 24, his best total.
Source link
