The teams and their stars, their strengths and their weaknesses, and, really, how far are they likely to go?
Alex Malcolm, Andrew McGlashan, Srinidhi Ramanujam, S Sudarshanan28-Sep-2024.
Australia
Overview
The defending champions, who have won a hat-trick of titles dating back to 2018, look the most vulnerable they have since failing to win it in 2016. They have not lost a global tournament since the 2017 ODI World Cup, but since winning their third consecutive title in the T20 format in February 2023, they have lost a T20I series 1-2 in England and rare home matches to West Indies and South Africa. They have also been bowled out twice against India and New Zealand, something that had not happened since the first game of the 2020 World Cup. They still have an extraordinary side, full of depth with both bat and ball, and will be the team to beat. But they must be better and braver with the bat than they have been recently as opponents are catching up.Squad
Alyssa Healy (capt/wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla VlaeminckKey player
Ellyse Perry’s greatness is undisputed, and her legacy secure. But there might be a personal point to prove here given how her T20I career has morphed with her batting in the second half of her career. She was a bit-part batter in 2018 and 2023, predominantly down the order. She famously missed 2020 through injury and at the 2022 Commonwealth Games she ran the drinks. She has had a renaissance in T20 leagues and has been elevated to Nos. 3-4 this year following the retirement of Meg Lanning. Her experience will be invaluable if, as expected, the surfaces are slow and the scoring is low. But there will be times when Australia need to hit the accelerator in the powerplay and she will be eager to prove she can do that too.Predicted finish: Champions
India
Overview
With a plethora of spinners, India enter the T20 World Cup as one of the favourites. They have lost only seven T20Is since the last edition, but one of those was the surprise defeat to Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup in July. India have shown consistency in ICC competitions, constantly challenging the likes of Australia and England, but have often stumbled at the knockout stages. In a bid to course correct and overcome the mental barrier, they hired the services of a sports psychologist as part of their pre-tournament preparation. India will look to openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, both of whom have been among the runs over the past year, to set the tone. Mandhana has worked on her game against spin – as evidenced from her showing in the home series against South Africa – which will be crucial in the UAE.Squad
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, Sajeevan SajanaKey player
She may divide opinion when it comes to her batting position in the T20I set-up, but there is no doubt Deepti Sharma is one of the first names in an India XI. Her ability to bowl across phases makes captain Harmanpreet Kaur turn to her in the face of mounting pressure and she could be more than a handful in the UAE. In T20Is since January 2022, no bowler has picked up more wickets that Deepti’s 73 among Full Members and teams at this T20 World Cup. Her batting numbers may not be other-worldly, but no one among Full Members in women’s T20Is since the start of 2022 has taken more than 45 wickets scored more than 420 runs; Deepti has 525. She provided a reminder of her all-round abilities in the Women’s Hundred for champions London Spirit, scoring 212 at a strike rate of 132.50 and returning eight wickets at an economy of 6.85.Predicted finish: Finalists (with a fair shot at winning it)Sophie Devine has had to move down the batting order to provide it with solidity•Getty Images
New Zealand
Overview
New Zealand will enter the World Cup on a ten-match losing streak in T20s after their 3-0 defeat against Australia. They are in a tough group and will have to perform above their recent level to have a realistic chance of progressing. In Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine – both playing their ninth consecutive T20 World Cup – alongside Amelia Kerr and Lea Tahuhu, they have an experienced core. But they will need some support from the emerging cast led by the likes of Georgia Plimmer and Fran Jonas. Devine has recently batted at No. 4 to try and control the middle stages of an innings, and hopefully finish chases, but that raises the question of whether the team is making best use of one of their best batters.Squad
Sophie Devine (capt), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea TahuhuKey player
Currently batting in the pivotal No. 3 position, and a banker for four overs with her threatening legspin, Amelia Kerr will be central to New Zealand’s hopes. She provided an example of her skills with a T20I career-best of 4 for 20 in Mackay with numerous batters unable to read her googly. With the bat, there are perhaps a few question marks over her strike rate, which hovers around the 110-115 region, although in two WPL seasons it has reached 130, which shows she has the capability to up the tempo. New Zealand are getting closer to a significant changing of the guard: Kerr will be central to what happens next.Predicted finish: Group stageFatima Sana, just 22, is Pakistan’s new T20I captain•PCB
Pakistan
Overview
Pakistan go into this World Cup with a new captain, Fatima Sana, who replaced the experienced Nida Dar in August. This will be the 22-year-old’s first ICC tournament as captain, but she has featured in the last three T20 World Cups. That apart, Pakistan are a settled side with ten players from the 2023 tournament. They have lost all three bilateral series played this year, though – against West Indies, England and South Africa – and have won just four of 15 T20Is. Consistency has eluded them but in the series against South Africa they twice passed 150, the only times they have done so this year. Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin and Gull Feroza have scored 952 runs between them in 2024 and although Dar, Aliya Riaz and Sana are handy in the middle order, the top order will be crucial. Sadia Iqbal and Dar will shoulder the bulk of the bowling responsibility in spin-friendly conditions. But all considered, it’s a tough group, and Pakistan have no room for mistakes.Squad
Fatima Sana (capt), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal (subject to fitness), Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba HassanKey player
Muneeba Ali is the batter in form. In the last seven matches, she has crossed 30 six times and remained unbeaten twice. Not a powerful hitter, the left-hand opener can be aggressive in the powerplay with her ability to pierce gaps with ease and elegance. She has worked on her strike rate, 113.04 this year, which is also the highest among Pakistan’s top four. With 364 runs in 15 matches in 2024, she also tops the team’s batting charts. The only centurion at the last T20 World Cup, Muneeba will be expected to carry her form into this edition.Predicted finish: Group stageThere have been few better performers around the world than Chamari Athapaththu over the past many months•ACC
Sri Lanka
Overview
Sri Lanka have been the busiest team over the past year, and they are greatly improved at the end of it. Since last year’s event, they have played 31 matches, the most by a Full Member team. They have lost only nine games in this period and notched up wins for the first time against New Zealand, England and South Africa. Their win-loss ratio since April 2023 is better than Australia and India, a maiden Asia Cup title being the highlight. Their only concern could be the lower-middle order, though that could be offset by the strong form Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari have shown in recent times, with captain Chamari Athapaththu being a constant, all-round superhero.Squad
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 Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika KumariKey player
Harshitha Samarawickrama is in fine form. She helped Sri Lanka beat South Africa in a T20I series in South Africa for the first time, scoring an unbeaten 54 in the deciding game. She also starred in Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup final win, making an unbeaten 69 in just 51 balls to beat India. Her ability to change gears at will has benefited Sri Lanka this year, as evidenced by her strike rate of 120.81 in T20Is as opposed to her career strike rate of 99.72 in the format. Sri Lanka always wanted to reduce their over-reliance on Athapaththu and Samarawickrama’s emergence and consistency at No. 3 has allowed them to do so.Predicted finish: Group stage (but don’t rule them out of progressing)