Latest update April 12th, 2025 6:32 PM
Latest News
- OPR, RSS begin investigation into police killings of Linden youths
- Guyana’s oil continues to shine as Hess’ top seller
- Govt. in talks with GuySuCo to revive private cane farming in Region 3-Pres. Ali
- “You can’t die with me,” mother’s final words before saving son in Berbice River boat mishap
- US judge finds that Columbia University activist in solidarity with Palestine can be deported
Australia v England, Women’s World T20, Final, Mirpur…Australia hunt for T20 hat-trick
ESPNcricinfo – It is two well-acquainted foes who will go head-to-head for the women’s T20 title. As Anya Shrubsole said on Friday, there is little they do not know about each other: since August last year Australia and England have contested 14 matches.
Those games came during the multi-format Ashes. While England retained the ultimate prize in Australia – largely thanks to their Test win in Perth – it was the hosts who prevailed in both shorter formats on home soil, taking the ODIs and T20s 2-1. With two months having passed since those matches they may not mean an awful lot, but Australia will go into the final knowing they have had the better of England in the format recently.
Meg Lanning and Charlotte Edwards have the World T20 title in their sights. (Getty Images)
Australia are aiming for a hat-trick of titles following their triumphs in West Indies (2010) and Sri Lanka (2012) while England were the champions at the inaugural tournament on home soil in 2009. These two sides slugged out the final in Colombo last time where Charlotte Edwards’ team came up four runs short in a tense finish. Women’s cricket is becoming more competitive by the year, but there will be a familiar name on the trophy.
Watch out for
The knees may be a bit painful these days, the fielding hard work and the running between the wickets not as brisk as it was, but Charlotte Edwards remains a player for the big occasion. She secured the Ashes with an unbeaten 92 in Hobart having, earlier in the tour, battled the pain of a knee injury to make a crucial 56 in the Test at the WACA. The previous World T20 final brought heartbreak and Edwards will be desperate to atone.
Her opposite number, Meg Lanning, has enjoyed an impressive tournament. She has scored 213 runs – boosted by the record 126 against Ireland – but it is the strike-rate which stands out: her figure of 161.36 is the highest of any batsmen to have faced more than 50 deliveries at the event (it helps Australia that the next on that list is opener Elyse Villani). Lanning hit 29 off 22 balls in the semi-final and could have a telling impact on the final in a short space of time. Batting at No. 3 means she has a good chance of facing the prolific Shrubsole: that could be a wonderful contest.
Pitch and conditions
Three pitches have been in use at Mirpur during the tournaments so the final is set to take place on a different surface to the two semis. However, conditions have remained fairly consistent throughout and now both sides have had experience of the ground there should not be many surprises.
Charlotte Edwards said, “It would mean a lot to us as a group of players. We are two very evenly matched teams, and it will all come down to who deals with the pressure of the big occasion to determine who comes out of it as winners.”
Meg Lanning noted, “We know each other inside out, so we’re able to do our planning and so will England. It’s a really big stage, probably the biggest we’ve played on so it’s about being able to perform on the day.”
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Mashing an ants’ nest
Peeping Tom Kaieteur News- The People’s Progressive Party Civic has always believed in its own myth. It has fashioned... more
The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- Recent media stories have suggested that King Charles III could “invite” the United... more
Weekend Cartoon
