Who Will Claim the Two Places?

The final two places on offer for the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa will be decided over the next week between eight competing teams. Split up into two pools of four where they will each play each other and then a finals series to follow.

In a jam packed schedule, it will be decided over a matter of eight days. Two will prepare for South Africa in January, the other six will go home.

Some of the candidates immediately stand out as front runners, but as with all tournaments, particularly in the T20 format, not everything goes to plan. Let’s have a look at each of the squads and find some match winners.

Pools:
A: Bangladesh, United States, Ireland, Scotland,
B: Zimbabwe, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, United Arab Emirates

Teams (ICC ranking)

Pool A

Bangladesh (9)

Of all the teams, Bangladesh is the highest ranked (9) and quite rightly deserve a favourites tag. The team is much the same as the one that so impressed in the ODI World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year.

The Tigresses know their game well. Jahanara Alam is the only serious pacer in a team where there is a heavy reliance on spin and slow medium bowlers. It works. Salma Khatun, Rumana Ahmed, Nahida Akter – they just keep coming, wave after wave of high quality spin. Salma is one of the most cunning bowlers in the game, often seen in the powerplay.

The batting is solid, built around Fargana “Pinky” Hoque who is their key batter and the one most capable of lifting the run rate. The left-hander Murshida Khatun is most impressive – still yet to put her stamp on the game but it’s early days and she’s quite a talent.

The skipper, Nigar Sultana, leads the team well from behind the stumps, manages her bowlers well and is thoughtful with her field placings. The team has a backup keeper in Shamima Sultana if needed.

The fielding is competent and capable of brilliance at times but do drop their fair share of sitters. Get that out of their game and they not only take one of these places, but become a real threat if they make it to the World Cup.

Squad: Nigar Sultana (c), Salma Khatun, Rumana Ahmed, Fargana Hoque, Jahanara Alam, Shamima Sultana, Fahima Khatun, Ritu Moni, Murshida Khatun, Nahida Akter, Sharmin Akhter, Lata Mondal, Sobhana Mostary, Sanjida Akther, Marufa Akter.

United States (28)

Being the lowest ranked team in the tournament by some distance, the United States have their work cut out for them. Add to that the absence of two key players in Gargi Bhogle and Moksha Chaudhary and the task becomes a little more difficult for Sindhu Sriharsha and her team. The absence of the head coach for the most important tournament this team will play in 2022 is also a little baffling.

The captain leads the team from behind the stumps and is good leader. The legacy of former coach Julia Price is evidenced by the fact that this is a good fielding unit.

With the ball they will rely on the superb accuracy of Suhani Thadani and Geetika Kodali in the pace department, while North Carolina product Bhumika Bhadriraju has been turning heads with her turning deliveries.

The skipper at number three has shown good form, a recent half century against Thailand proof positive, while Disha Dhingra scored a half century against the same team in the warm-ups. The USA will need those two to shine and a whole lot more.

Squad: Sindhu Sriharsha (c), Geetika Kodali, Anika Kolan, Bhumika Bhadriraju, Disha Dhingra, lsani Vaghela, Lisa Ramjit, Mahika Kandanala, Preeti lyenger, Ritu Singh, Snigdha Paul, Suhani Thadani, Taranum Chopra, Yashaditi Teki, Sai Tanmayi Eyyunni

Ireland (11)

Good recent form (when it hasn’t been raining!) and a high quality bowling line-up suggests that Ireland are an excellent chance to progress to the finals.

Captain Laura Delany‘s biggest headache is her bowling line-up – she has so many options to choose from it will be interesting to see who she leaves out. Georgina Dempsey is fast and fiery, Orla Prendergast bowls awkward inswing, Arlene Kelly is a must – naggingly accurate – and Jane Maguire is impressive. All good pace options. Then the veteran Eimear Richardson and the leggie Cara Murray. And Rachel Delaney. And the captain herself. They can’t all play!

A solid top three of Gaby Lewis, Leah Paul and Amy Hunter with plenty of experience down the order to follow.

Squad: Laura Delany (c), Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Eimear Richardson, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron

Scotland (13)

Lost a recent series against Ireland and got torched by the spin of Zimbabwe in the warm-ups. It is difficult to see this team getting to the next round.

On the bright side they have unearthed a very good batter in Saskia Horley, which means there is less reliance on Sarah Bryce and captain Kathryn Bryce.

The young offie, Katherine Fraser, is in excellent form and is a vital part of the attack. The medium pacers – are they enough to trouble Bangladesh and Ireland? I don’t think so. Of course, Scotland have the ability to surprise us all. Can they do that here?

Squad: Kathryn Bryce (c), Sarah Bryce, Abtaha Maqsood, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Ailsa Lister, Katherine Fraser, Katie McGill, Priyanaz Chatterji, Lorna Jack, Megan McColl, Ellen Watson, Hannah Rainey, Olivia Bell, Saskia Horley, Rachel Slater

Pool B

Zimbabwe (12)

In very good form this team. Zimbabwe have left no stone unturned in their preparation for this tournament and it shows both on and off the field. They recently defeated three other teams competing here, including Thailand, in the just completed UAE Quadrangular. Prior to that a series against domestic teams in India to prepare for conditions here.

Captain Mary-Anne Musonda has no shortage of high quality bowlers, both pace and spin. Left arm pace bowler Nomvelo Sibanda is in career best form, while the bustling Esther Mbofana is a handful for any batter. The allround excellence of Josephine Nkomo, who regularly opens the bowling means Zimbabwe are well stocked in the pace department.

With spin, the rise and rise of sixteen year old Kelis Ndlovu is evident with her 6-16 against Scotland in the warm-ups, while the evergreen Precious Marange continues to impress. One mustn’t forget Loryn Phiri or Loreen Tshuma either. Fitting all these bowlers into the team is Mary-Anne’s biggest headache.

Batting wise Zimbabwe will be looking for solid starts from the top order from left-handed Kelis, along with Sharne Mayers and keeper/batter Mode Mupachikwa. The captain should slot in at four and then the ever-reliable Nkomo at five.

This is a well balanced team in good form. Expect to see them advance to the finals.

Squad: Mary-Anne Musonda (c), Modester Mupachikwa, Kelis Ndlovu, Sharne Mayers, Josephine Nkomo, Precious Marange, Christabel Chatonzwa, Loreen Tshuma, Loryn Phiri, Nomvelo Sibanda, Esther Mbofana, Pellagia Mujaji, Audrey Mazvishaya, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Francisca Chipare

Thailand (10)

For a team that hadn’t played any international cricket since August 2021, Thailand have come out all guns blazing. Such is the cohesion in this team, the core of which has been playing together since 2013, that the extended break has had no impact. Nor the transition from former captain Sornnarin Tippoch to Naruemol Chaiwai.

Natthakan Chantham is in good form at the top of the order, Thailand’s best batter, but the team does bat deep so there is no major reliance on just Chantham. Also at the top, Nannapat Koncharoenkai, the keeper batter, a key player with bat and gloves – and just twenty years old, certain to be one of Thailand’s greatest by the end of her career.

One thing Thailand does really well is strangle opposition scoring options with their accurate bowling and their keen and energetic fielding. It is their calling card.

This team, second only to Bangladesh in ICC rankings in this tournament, will feature in the finals.

Squad: Naruemol Chaiwai (c), Nannapat Koncharoenkai, Nattaya Boochatham, Chanida Sutthiruang, Natthakan Chantham, Sornnarin Tippoch, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Suleeporn Laomi, Rosenanee Kanoh,  Thipatcha Putthawong,  Phannita Maya, Suwanan Khiaoto, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Nanthita Boonsukham

Papua New Guinea (15)

The biggest hurdle for PNG will be the fact that they have not played any international cricket since 2019, getting on for three years of absence. The captain Kaia Arua played in the FariBreak tournament and all of the players have cricket under their belts at domestic level, but this will be a big step for the East Asia Pacific team.

Arua’s spin bowling is top drawer and the team will rely on the allround skills of Sibona Jimmy. and the batting of Brenda Tau. There are a number of new players, unseen on the international stage previously so perhaps there is a rough diamond or two ready to step up. They’ll need to, one feels, for even a slim hope of making the finals, given the company in this group.

Squad: Kaia Arua (c), Melanie Ani, Vicky Araa, Hollan Doriga, Kevau Frank, Veru Frank, Sibona Jimmy, Ravina Oa, Tanya Ruma, Pauke Siaka, Brenda Tau, Henao Thomas, Mairi Tom, Isabel Toua, Naoani Vare

United Arab Emirates (14)

No shortage of talent here and the advantage of playing at home. Will it be enough for Chaya Mughal and her team? They are in a group with two heavyweights, both of whom defeated the UAE in the recent quadrangular series.

Key batters will be U19 skipper, stylish left-hander Theertha Satish, along with Esha Oza and Kavisha Egodage. The team will need these players to fire in order to defeat Thailand and Zimbabwe.

Very good options with the ball with Suraksha Kotte, Samaira Dharnidharka and the leg-breaks of Vaishnave Mahesh.

Will it be enough? I think against the company in this pool the UAE, along with PNG, quite a long shot to progress.

Squad: Chaya Mughal (c), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Siya Gokhale, Priyanjali Jain, Lavanya Keny, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Indhuja Nandakumar, Esha Oza, Rinitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Theertha Satish, Khushi Sharma