The elation the Indian women experienced after a historic ODI series victory has been quickly quelled by the hosts, New Zealand, who have picked up three straight victories across different formats.
With a hard-fought victory in the second T20, New Zealand exacted revenge upon the Indians and would be eyeing a white-wash on Sunday. Apart from Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, none of the other Indian women have shown up with the bat and with an in-form Suzie Bates and the Seddon Park pitch looming large, they have their task cut-out.
Squads to choose from:
New Zealand Women:
Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Amy Satterthwaite (c), Bernadine Bezuidenhout (wk), Katie Martin, Hayley Jensen, Amelia Kerr, Hannah Rowe, Leigh Kasperek, Lea Tahuhu, Frances Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Caitlin Gurrey, Maddy Green.
India Women:
Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Taniya Bhatia (wk), Anuja Patil, Jemimah Rodrigues, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Ekta Bisht, Dayalan Hemalata, Shikha Pandey, Deepti Sharma, Mansi Joshi, Priya Punia.
Playing XI Updates:
New Zealand Women:
After another good win over India in Auckland, not many changes are expected in the side as they seek a white-wash. Frances Mackay is out injured and Maddy Green has been called up as a replacement.
Anna Peterson was below par in the previous match and she could be replaced by Hayley Jensen or Maddy Green although Amy Satterthwaite wouldn't want to tinker with a winning combination.
Possible XI: Bates, Devine, Gurrey, Satterthwaite (C), Martins(WK), Peterson, Kasperek, Rowe, Kerr, Mair and Tahuhu
India Women:
After another middle order collapse, surely the management should be drafting Mithali Raj in for Dayalan Hemalata, who was injured during the match. Arundhati Reddy justified her selection with an incredible performance last time out and she will once again hold the key for the Indians along with the usual suspects, Mandhana and Kaur.
Shikha Pandey could replace Mansi Joshi after the latter's disappointing performance last time around.
Possible XI: Punia, Mandhana, Jemimah, Raj, Kaur(C), Taniya(WK), Arundhati, Deepti Sharma, Poonam, Radha and Mansi/Shikha.
Fantasy Tips and Suggestions:
Wicket-keeper: With India clearly not trusting Taniya Bhatia's batting abilities, Katey Martin is the best option. She chipped in with a vital cameo in Auckland and should be amongst the runs once again.
Batters: Smriti Mandhana has been in mesmerizing form over the whole tour and along with Suzie Bates, she is a must have in your fantasy team. Harmanpreet Kaur has underperformed in the middle order and would be looking to fire on all cylinders in the last match of the tour. Caitlin Gurrey is also a handy option to have in your side.
All-rounders: Amelia Kerr and Deepti Sharma are great players, with their bowling ability known to one and all. Both of them are great selections while Sophie Devine's form also makes her an attractive option.
Bowlers: Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav have been impressive in the two T20s so far and are more than handy picks along with Hannah Rowe. Rosemary Mair has been brilliant at the death for the Kiwis and would be an invaluable pick taking into account the pitch in Hamilton. The likes of Tahuhu and Kasperek could also slot in for either of the two NZ bowlers.
Captain: Suzie Bates and Harmanpreet Kaur are the preferred options for captaincy, with both of them ranking amongst the best batters in the format. Both of them have had brilliant WBBL seasons and should be backed accordingly.
Fantasy Suggestion #1: Katey Martin (WK), Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Deepti Sharma, Amelia Kerr, Hannah Rowe, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav and Rosemary Mair. Captain: Suzie Bates.
Fantasy Suggestion #2: Katey Martin (WK), Suzie Bates, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Amy Satterthwaite, Amelia Kerr, Deepti Sharma, Lea Tahuhu, Leigh Kasperek, Poonam Yadav and Radha Yadav. Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur.
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