October 18 T20 World Cup: West Indies Face New Zealand in Underdog Showdown

• Admin
• April 12, 2025

Semi-Final Spotlight: New Zealand vs. West Indies

Neither New Zealand nor the West Indies were expected to reach this stage of the tournament, but both teams now have a shot at the final.

• New Zealand Squad: Sophie Devine (captain), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Isabella Gaze (wicketkeeper), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu.
• West Indies Squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle (wicketkeeper), Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Karishma Ramharack, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa Crafton.

Read More: Kamran Ghulam Steps in for Babar Azam as Pakistan Names Three Specialist Spinners for the Second Multan Test

Tournament Performance:

• New Zealand kicked off their campaign with a significant victory over India. After a loss to Australia, they won their next two matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, securing a semi-final spot in the Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time since 2016.
• West Indies began with a defeat but bounced back to win three consecutive matches. They made headlines by eliminating tournament favorites England in their final group-stage game, advancing to the semi-finals.

Key Updates:

• Stafanie Taylor missed the crucial match against England due to a knee injury. Qiana Joseph stepped up, scoring 52 runs off 38 balls, leading West Indies to victory.
• In contrast, New Zealand made a strategic change, bringing in left-arm spinner Fran Jonas, who took 1 wicket for just 8 runs in her two overs against Pakistan.
• Historically, West Indies have struggled against New Zealand in T20Is, winning only five of their 23 encounters. Notably, they secured two of those victories in T20 World Cups, including a semi-final win in 2016, where they later defeated Australia to claim the title.

Players to Watch:

• Deandra Dottin: A standout performer for the West Indies, boasting the highest strike rate (167.30) and most sixes (6) in the tournament. Her explosive batting helped ensure West Indies maintained a strong net run rate during the group stage.
• Georgia Plimmer: For New Zealand, Georgia Plimmer has been vital at the top of the order. The 20-year-old scored 53 runs off 44 balls against Sri Lanka and made 34 runs off 23 balls against India, contributing significantly to New Zealand’s successes. With 108 runs in four innings and a strike rate of 122.72, she is currently their top run-scorer. Given the low average first-innings total of 119 in Sharjah, her quick starts could prove crucial in the semi-final.

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Injury Update: Rishabh Pant and Indian Team Performance

India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, confirmed that Rishabh Pant is dealing with swelling in his right knee after sustaining an injury while keeping wicket on the second day of the Bengaluru Test. Pant did not take the field on the morning of the third day. Dhruv Jurel stepped in as wicketkeeper for the remainder of New Zealand’s first innings.

During the tea break on the third day, Pant participated in a short throwdown session, showcasing his determination to return to play. The Indian team was at 57 runs without losing a wicket in their second innings, facing a deficit of 356 runs. Pant is expected to bat if needed, especially given the match situation.

While at the boundary near the pavilion, Pant wore only one pad on his non-injured knee but was still seen hobbling slightly. Despite this, he struck the ball cleanly during his practice session, with batting coach Abhishek Nayar observing closely. The focus of his drills was on playing drives to test his knee’s mobility. By the end of the 15-minute session, Pant entertained the crowd with a few aerial shots.

Rohit Sharma had said on the second evening that Pant had some swelling in the injured area and the team didn’t want to take any risks given Pant had recovered from serious knee injuries sustained in a car crash in December 2022. On the third morning, a BCCI statement said, “The BCCI medical team is monitoring his progress.”

In the Bengaluru Test, Pant was hurt in the 37th over of New Zealand’s innings. Attempting to stump Devon Conway off Ravindra Jadeja, he failed to collect the ball and it hit him in the knee. He went off the field immediately and was replaced by Jurel.

“Unfortunately, the ball hit straight on his knee cap, the same leg on which he has got a surgery done. So he has got a bit of swelling on it,” Rohit said after the day’s play. “And you know the muscles are quite tender at this point in time, so it’s a precautionary measure. We don’t want to take a risk. Rishabh doesn’t want to take a risk because he has gone through a massive surgery on that particular leg. That was the reason for him to go inside.”

After suffering career-threatening injuries during the car crash, Pant made his comeback only in IPL 2024.

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