October 8 at the T20 World Cup: Can NZ produce another upset against trans-Tasman rivals Australia?
Written by I Dig SportsAustralia vs New Zealand
Sharjah, 6pm local timeAustralia squad: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (capt), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Isabella Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu
News brief: These two teams had just met for a three-match T20I series in Australia, who won 3-0. New Zealand also came into the tournament with a winless streak of 10 straight games but the manner in which they took on India, from ball one, belied their recent form and was the best kind of start they could have had before running into their trans-Tasman rivals. The toss many not be as crucial in Sharjah for the evening game because not as much dew is expected there, proven by the wins registered by the teams batting first there in the evening games. The pitches there have kept low, turned, and not offered much for the batters, with not even one team crossing 120, before the England vs South Africa clash.