CAPE TOWN: When the ICC Women's T20 World Cup kicks off in Cape Town on February 10, 2023, a number of countries, led by India and England, will have ambitions of overturning Australia's much-desired hegemony.
Australia has won the trophy five times in seven editions, and their team is loaded with accomplished athletes. Since winning the most recent T20 World Cup in 2020, they haven't faced many challenges in the format.
They have only lost one T20 game in the previous 22 months, and it was an away Super Over loss to India.
The holders receive a tremendous boost with the return of captain Meg Lanning following a hiatus. Alyssa Healy, a star wicketkeeper batter who recently returned from a calf injury, also appears to have shaken off the rust, making the team even more dangerous.
It goes without saying that the defending champions will start as favourites once more and seek for a second hat-trick of victories, which would be a record-extending sixth trophy.
The team's depth at the plate, which is highlighted by the presence of several powerful hitters including Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Lanning, and Healy, is its greatest asset.
Ashleigh Gardner, an all-arounder, has also been in excellent shape. The 25-year-old, a down the order power batter, is skipper Lanning's go-to player when Australia needs to take a wicket.
The bowling department will be led by seasoned pacer Megan Schutt, who will have a lot of options for spinners.
The difficult series against India and the failure in the exhibition match against Ireland, however, demonstrate that Australia is also vulnerable, and nations like India, England, and New Zealand would bet on their chances.
India, who finished second in the previous edition, will be eager to advance and finally win the championship.
But a lot will depend on the Indian batting lineup, particularly the top order, which includes batsmen like the graceful Smriti Mandhana, the powerful Shafali Verma, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
The unexpected standout, Shafali, finished the competition as India's top run scorer. After winning the U19 World Cup in South Africa a few days ago, the flashy opener is fired up and eager to keep the winning streak going.
Before the 2020 edition's final ended in defeat, the "Women in Blue" had a fantastic run.
Richa Gosh, an U19 World Cup champion, has provided India with a much-needed finisher, allowing the top order to launch an aggressive attack right away.
Although India has an excellent selection of pace and spin bowlers, their bowling has been their weak point. With the exception of seasoned pro Shikha Pandey, the pace department lacks in expertise. The task will need them to rise to it.
In Group B, India is grouped with England, Pakistan, the West Indies, and Ireland. England will be a strong contender because they have long been a reliable force in the format.
With spinners shining in the warm-up matches, the dependable Deepti Sharma, who has won matches for India on numerous occasions, will once again be an important player.
England, led by Heather Knight, will be motivated to win the championship for the first time since the 2009 debut. They have made it to three finals without winning.
The defending champions have a strong bowling assault that features top-ranked spinner Sophie Ecclestone and famous pacer Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
New Zealand is another strong candidate from Group A to make the last four, along with Australia. The team captained by Sophie Devine has recently had success in the competition.
Many people will be looking to players like Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley, and Lauren Bell who have made names for themselves in the T20 format.
Although the White Ferns have the talent to compete, players other than Devine, Suzie Bates, and Lea Tahuhu will need to step up.
The finest results for South Africa occurred in 2020 and 2014, when they advanced to the semifinals. The women of the Proteas will be eager to take advantage of the home advantage.
Their confidence will grow after their recent triumph against India in the Tri-Series final.
Their ability to win the competition would depend on their bowling unit, which included seasoned pacers like Marizanne Kapp, Shabnim Ismail, and Ayabonga Khaka. However, it appears that the hosts' batting lineup is a touch lacking.
With Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh in their group, it will be difficult for the hosts to get it to the semifinals.
On Friday, the first match will be between Sri Lanka and the hosts, South Africa. There will be two phases to the competition. Two groups of five sides each are formed from the 10 teams.
The teams will participate in a round-robin format in the first round, with the top two teams from each group moving on to the knockout stage.
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