Women's T20 Challenge 2020: All you need to know
The third season of Women's T20 Challenge is all set to begin on November 4 with defending champions Supernovas taking on Velocity in Sharjah. Last month, the BCCI announced the tournament's full schedule, that will run till November 9. Just like the previous edition, the matches will be played on the sidelines of IPL 2020 playoffs. Here are the further details.
Marquee players Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Mithali Raj will lead the three teams Supernovas, Trailblazers and Velocity respectively. While the three matches will be held between November 4 and 7, the final is scheduled on November 9. Notably, all the matches are slated in Sharjah. All the games will begin at 7:30 PM IST except the second (3.30 PM IST).
Players from Bangladesh, West Indies, Sri Lanka and England players will take part in the tournament. Notably, seven of the 12 overseas players will feature for the first time. The three squads comprise 15 players, including four overseas players in each team.
Two-time champions Supernovas boast an experienced line-up, led by Harmanpreet Kaur. Middle-order batswoman Jemimah Rodrigues and wicket-keeper Taniya Bhatia add value to the side Besides, off-spinners Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav and Anuja Patil will bring in the required variations. Meanwhile, the Supernovas will have the services of foreign players Chamari Athapaththu, Shashikala Siriwardene, Shakera Selman and Ayabonga Khaka.
Supernovas squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Jemimah Rodrigues (vice-captain), Chamari Atapattu, Priya Punia, Anuja Patil, Radha Yadav, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Shashikala Siriwardene, Poonam Yadav, Shakera Selman, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Ayushi Soni, Ayabonga Khaka, Muskan Malik
The Smriti Mandhana-led Trailblazers include all-rounder Deepti Sharma as the vice-captain. Star opener Punam Raut will further bolster the batting. Among the youngsters, middle-order batswomen Harleen Deol and Richa Ghosh will aim to complement their seniors in the tournament. The Trailblazers include Deandra Dottin, Sophie Ecclestone, Salma Khatun, and Natthakan Chantham (first cricketer from Thailand) as overseas players.
Trailblazers squad: Smriti Mandhana (captain), Deepti Sharma (vice-captain), Punam Raut, Richa Ghosh, D Hemalatha, Nuzhat Parween (wk), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Harleen Deol, Jhulan Goswami, Simaran Dil Bahadur, Salma Khatun, Sophie Ecclestone, Natthakan Chantham, Deandra Dottin, Kashvee Gautam
Velocity will be led by the legendary Mithali Raj, while Veda Krishnamurthy will serve as her deputy. They also have the likes of wicket-keeper Sushma Verma and pace-bowling all-rounder Shikha Pandey. Also, all eyes will be on teen prodigy Shafali Verma, who hogged the limelight during the 2020 Women's T20 WC. Their foreign picks are Danielle Wyatt, Leigh Kasperek, Sune Luus and Jahanara Alam.
Velocity squad: Mithali Raj (capt), Veda Krishnamurthy (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Sushma Verma (wk), Ekta Bisht, Shikha Pandey, Devika Vaidya, Sushree Dibyadarshini, Manali Dakshini, Leigh Kasperek, Danielle Wyatt, Sune Luus, Jahanara Alam, M Anagha, Meghna Singh
