Sri Lanka Opts to Bat First Against New Zealand in Sharjah
In a crucial match for New Zealand’s semi-final hopes, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first in Sharjah. Despite being eliminated from contention, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu expressed confidence in her team’s ability to end the tournament on a high note.
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine echoed Athapaththu’s sentiments, stating that they would have also opted to bat first. Their focus remains on securing a victory rather than boosting their net run rate. Both teams made minor changes to their lineups, with Sri Lanka bringing in left-arm spinner Sachini Nisansala and New Zealand introducing offspinner Leigh Kasperek.
The match is being played in challenging weather conditions, with temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius. The pitch dimensions are 57 and 63 meters square of the wicket, with a 73-meter hit down the ground. As expected in Sharjah, the bounce is expected to be low, favoring the spinners.
New Zealand XI:
* Suzie Bates
* Georgia Plimmer
* Amelia Kerr
* Sophie Devine (capt)
* Brooke Halliday
* Maddy Green
* Isabella Gaze (wk)
* Lea Tahuhu
* Leigh Kasperek
* Rosemary Mair
* Eden Carson
Sri Lanka XI:
* Chamari Athapaththu (capt)
* Vishmi Gunaratne
* Harshitha Samarawickrama
* Kavisha Dilhari
* Anushka Sanjeewani (wk)
* Nilakshika Silva
* Ama Kanchana
* Sachini Nisansala
* Sugandika Kumari
* Inoshi Priyadharshani
* Udeshika Prabodhani
