ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 Match 6, India vs Bangladesh: Preview, prediction, likely XIs

India Women will face Bangladesh Women in Match 6 of the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup, at the WACA Ground, Perth. While India had started the tournament with a remarkable win against hosts and tournament favourites Australia, Bangladesh are yet to play their first match of the edition.

Reduced to 47/3, India were under pressure in the Australia match before Deepti Sharma (49* in 46 balls) lifted them to 132/4. Then Australia started off well, and needed just 66 in 62 balls with 8 wickets in hand. Then Poonam Yadav (4-0-19-4) took 3 wickets in 6 balls and 4 in 13, turning the match on its head, before Shikha Pandey (3.5-0-14-3) polished off the tail. India won by 17 runs.

On the other hand, Bangladesh had impressed all by defeating Pakistan by 5 runs in the warm-up match. They managed only 111/8 despite Murshida Khatun’s 38-ball 43. However, that turned out to be enough, as Jahanara Alam (3.4-0-22-4) and Khadija Tul Kubra (4-0-11-3) rolled Pakistan over for 106.

Despite their inspiring win, however, it is unlikely that Bangladesh will defeat India.

Head to head

India hold a 9-2 lead over Bangladesh, but here is the catch: Bangladesh have won the last two matches, both in the 2018 Asia Cup Twenty20, including the final.

Key players

Poonam Yadav (India Women): Poonam celebrated her return to international cricket with a special spell. The Australians had found it difficult to read her, and it is unlikely that the Bangladeshis will fare any better.

Rumana Ahmed (Bangladesh Women): With 4-0-21-3 and 42 not out in 34 balls, and 4-0-22-2 and 23 in 22, Rumana was the star for Bangladesh when they beat India twice in the space of four days to lift the 2018 Asia Cup Twenty20. Bangladesh will need an encore from her.

Likely XIs

India Women: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.

Bangladesh Women: Murshida Khatun, Rumana Ahmed, Fargana Hoque, Sanjida Islam, Nigar Sultana (wk), Ayasha Rahman, Ritu Moni, Jahanara Alam, Salma Khatun (c), Panna Ghosh, Khadija Tul Kubra.

Prediction

India to win and take a step closer to the semi-final.