82 DELIVERING WORLD-CLASS EVENTS // ICC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
ICC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
The second edition of the ICC Women’s Championship had a promising start
OPPOSITE TOP LEFT: Smriti Mandhana plays a shot during the second women’s ODI between India and Australia.
OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT: Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj at the launch of ICC Women’s Championship.
OPPOSITE MIDDLE: Pakistan celebrate.
OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Sophie Devine achieved 2000 runs during the second women’s cricket ODI against the Windies.
The inaugural ICC Women’s Championship was hailed as a success, providing teams with more competitive opportunities and improving standards of play and competitive balance, the conclusion of which was the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.
As a result, expectations were high for the 2017-2020 edition of the Championship, and it got off to a great start. Just two rounds into the competition, the teams have already raised the bar for personal and team performances.
The format for the second edition remains the same, with eight teams battling for a chance to seal their spots at the ICC Women’s World Cup marquee event. The rest of the teams will be joined by six teams from four regions – Africa, to decide the four remaining participants.
At the time of writing, all teams but England and South Africa have played two rounds. Australia, the from six matches. Suzie Bates’ White Ferns, though, have the edge on net run rate.
comprehensive 3-0 sweep of Sri Lanka to bury the ghosts of their World Cup defeat to the Asian side. They are third on the table, with four victories.
The Windies also swept Sri Lanka aside when they visited the Caribbean, but were in turn and are fourth.
India’s two wins on their trip to South Africa to Australia in their own backyard could prove dear later on.
In fact, Australia’s 332 for seven in Vadodara total posted so far in the competition. Three teams breached the 300-run mark, while there have been 11 team scores of 250 or more. In contrast, the entire 2014-16 cycle had three scores in excess of
Smriti Mandhana’s 129-ball 135 against South Africa in Kimberley is the highest individual score so far.
the batting charts, with their big-hitting abilities, vital to their teams at the top of the innings.
With 11 four-wicket hauls, it’s clear the bowlers have had their say. Pakistan’s stalwart Sana Mir has three such hauls against her name, her 17 In the last round, Jess Jonassen of Australia just 14 behind this time, could well top that by the end of the competition.
Fast bowler Megan Schutt, meanwhile, has been key for Australia. Her economy of 3.97 and ability to keep up the pressure from one end – she has seven maidens to Mir’s nine – against strong batting line-ups of England and India have been as useful as her 14 wickets.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114
