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Markram hopes Mirpur win will end South Africa’s Asia hoodoo

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 11:05:49 +0000

Ten years and six tours is how long South Africa have waited for a Test win in the subcontinent, which is something none of their current squad have experienced until now. Only five members of the playing XI in Mirpur have featured in a Test match in the subcontinent before and though eight of the 15-man squad have toured Asia, no one was part of the South African team that last enjoyed success on the continent, in Galle in 2014.

The long period between victories was marred by massive losses and breaking the drought is what stand-in captain Aiden Markram hopes could be the start of something new. “It’s special. We’re a pretty young, slightly inexperienced group, so to come to the subcontinent and get a win is great for us and the environment,” Markam said at the post-match press conference. “This win does a lot for us and gives us a taste of what playing cricket in the subcontinent is like, and it excites us for the challenges that we possibly face here.”

It also may spark some memories of a time, not that long ago, when South Africa were superior in the subcontinent. Between 2007 and 2014, they played 15 Tests in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and the UAE and lost only three, racking up series wins over everyone except India, against whom they drew twice. In the same period, Australia won just one out of 15 Tests in the subcontinent and England won three out of 16. Apart from India and Sri Lanka, South Africa were, by far, the most successful team in Asia over that period of time.

That ended in 2015, when South Africa were outspun 3-0 in India in a series which started a significant slide. After their win in Galle in 2014, South Africa played 14 more Tests in the subcontinent before this one, and lost ten. Six of those defeats were in India but they were also blanked 2-0 by Sri Lanka in 2018 and Pakistan in 2021.

All those occasions were marked by how poorly South Africa played against all kinds of spin, from the left-arm spin of Noman Ali, Ravindra Jadeja and Rangana Herath to the offspin of R Ashwin and the legspin of Yasir Shah. In Bangladesh too, spin proved the biggest threat as South Africa lost five of their top six to Taijul Islam in the first innings and at 108 for 6, looked like only gaining a marginal advantage. It was thanks to Kyle Verreynne and his second Test hundred that South Africa took a healthy, and ultimately match-winning lead.

Verryenne called the innings the “best” of his Test career, because it came in “the toughest conditions I have played under.” He cited the heat and humidity as one of the challenges and facing “long periods of spin bowling,” as the other.

Of the 144 balls delivered to Verreynne, 115 were from spinners, which amounts to 80%. The work Verreynne has done on the sweep shot was evident as ESPNcricnfo’s ball-by-ball data recorded that he scored almost half his runs, 49, with sweeps – conventional, reverse and slog – and maintained a strong scoring rate too.

Overall, Verreynne struck at 79.16, and against Taijul, he was particularly aggressive with 49 runs off 53 balls.

“Kyle sweeps really well, swept for a lot of his innings and he ended up doing well,” Markram said. “So it’s nice to see the guys backing those sorts of strengths. He’s a good player of spin and for him to score a hundred in his first Test match in the subcontinent is a really special feat.”

While Verreynne traveled with the South African squad to Pakistan in 2021, he only made his debut later that year in West Indies. He competed with Heinrich Klaasen for the role of South Africa’s first-choice wicket-keeper but Klaasen’s Test retirement in January has meant Verreynne has the opportunity to make the spot his own. “He’s had a bit of backing now from the management, and he just looks really comfortable now in the environment,” Markram said.

Having Verreynne’s spot fairly secure ramps up competition with reserve keeper Ryan Rickelton, who has gone six Tests with a top score of 42. If regular captain Temba Bavuma recovers from an elbow niggle in time to play the second Test, one of Rickelton or Matthew Breetzke will have to make way and both could end up sitting out if South Africa opt for a fifth frontline bowler.

They went into the Mirpur game with a four-man attack and there were times in Bangladesh’s second innings when it seemed lacking. Still, they’ll be heartened by the way their champion quick Kagiso Rabada, who combined well with Wiaan Mulder in the first innings and then took a six-for in the second, registered his best figures in the subcontinent.

Rabada’s wicket-taking ability is second to none, literally, as was documented when he became the only bowler to take 300 Test wickets in under 12,000 deliveries, and doing it in the subcontinent only makes him stand out more. On a surface with good bounce, Rabada’s hard lengths made him difficult to get away and dangerous and Markram hailed him as a “superstar.”

Having Rabada fresh and firing also vindicates CSA’s decision to rest him between August and now, and leave him out of white-ball series in the UAE, and it shows how the two national coaches are working together. Test coach Shukri Conrad and white-ball coach Rob Walter jointly plan selections so that each of them has the best players available when it matters most.

For the next two-and-a-half months Test cricket is the focus and Rabada, and to an extent Markram, who was released from the UAE early, have been allowed to focus on that.

South Africa, despite limited Test matches in the calendar, remain in the running for the World Test Championship final but they cannot afford many (or any) slip-ups. They have five matches left to play – one next week in Chattogram, and four at home. They must win at least four to give themselves a chance to make the final in this cycle and this victory has shown them they can do that.

It has also given them confidence ahead of their return to the subcontinent next year to begin the next cycle with two Tests against each of Pakistan and India, where even tougher challenges await.

“The biggest thing we take from it is the belief and the confidence that we actually can do well here as a team,” Markam said. “I believe that’s where a lot of the game is played, from a confidence and belief and a mental side of things. It will help the team a lot as far as moving forward and seeing if we can put back-to-back performances together goes.”

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket

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Maharaj credits Tamim for helping him work out the Dhaka pitch

admin — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 03:08:25 +0000

Keshav Maharaj said that he benefited from Tamim Iqbal’s advice about the Dhaka pitch. The left-arm spinner has taken six wickets in the opening Test match against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium so far, bowling almost the perfect line and length in conditions that have assisted both seamers and the spinners. South Africa are in a good position in the game, needing three more wickets to bowl Bangladesh out in their second innings with the hosts leading by 81 runs.

“I just sent Tamim bhai a message,” Maharaj said. “I have got a good relationship with him. Obviously we played in the BPL. I just asked for some advice based on conditions and how to go about the business. He gave me a few words in terms of how the wicket would play. It wasn’t wrong. He read the wicket to the tee.”

Maharaj played under Tamim for Fortune Barishal in BPL 2024. He took three wickets in three matches, but all of them were at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Maharaj is playing his first match in Dhaka and so he did what other overseas bowlers visiting the subcontinent do. In 1998, Shane Warne got in touch with Bishen Singh Bedi so that he could be better informed about how to bowl to Sachin Tendulkar.

South Africa began the third day’s play with three wickets in the first 30 minutes before Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali put on 138 runs for the seventh wicket. Maharaj bowled 37 overs, taking 3 for 105.

“It’s nice to get a marathon spell out of the belt,” he said. “I love bowling. We should get a little bit less [square] cut balls at the start of the spell, but I think I settled in quite nicely. When the ball got a little bit older, there wasn’t much reaction from the wicket so I tried to keep it as tight as possible.”

Maharaj’s discipline allows him to play both attacking and defensives roles based on the match situation. He helped keep the pressure up from the other end when Kagiso Rabada was running hot in the first session and then later South Africa looked to him to pose as the primary threat, which he did to break a big partnership and pick up Jaker’s wicket.

“We have a four-bowler line-up in our attack,” Maharaj said. “My job, apart from trying to create opportunity, was to hold up an end. I think this morning when I bowled in tandem with KG [Rabada], you could see that his tail was up and got the ball to do a little bit.

“So my job at that stage was to try and hold up an end, and then when the switch came, I posed a little bit more when the ball started to spin. I think as a spinner you want to allow yourself to settle in and get those long spells on a wicket like this, knowing that there is a ball that will turn and be in your favour. Luckily enough, towards the back end in the middle of my spell, I got some reward from that.”

Maharaj gave credit to Mehidy and Jaker for putting up the rearguard action. He said that South Africa tried really hard to remove the pair, but couldn’t do it for a long period. “I think yesterday was probably the day that we went a little bit searching (for wickets), if I’m honest. And then we got the three wickets, and I think Mehidy and Jaker Ali played really well.

“We threw everything at them, and I don’t think it was a case of us taking our foot off the gas. I think they played really well, and you must give credit towards the batters in that situation,” he said.

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Verreynne on his 114: ‘Definitely the best and most rewarding innings of my career’

admin — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 12:26:00 +0000

Kyle Verreynne believes his 114 against Bangladesh is the best innings of his short career. He said that handling spin in the heat and humidity of Dhaka, particularly with South Africa under pressure when he came to the crease, made it a special occasion.

Verreynne spent just over four hours to get his second Test century after South Africa had slipped to 99 for 5 in reply to Bangladesh’s 106 all out. The visitors ended the first day on 140 for 6 before Verreynne added 119 runs with Wiaan Mulder, who made 54. By the time he was dismissed on the second afternoon, South Africa were ahead by 202 runs, a big lead on the Shere Bangla National Stadium wicket.

Verreynne said that since his maiden Test century in New Zealand came in conditions he is familiar with, he rated his Dhaka knock slightly higher.

“It is definitely the best innings of my Test career,” Verreynne said. “It is probably the toughest conditions I have played under in terms of heat and humidity. Back home we don’t face long periods of spin bowling. Around 90% of that innings was just against spin. Things happen quickly. You don’t have much time to reset from a concentration point of view. This was certainly my most rewarding innings.

“This (century) felt like better just in terms of the context of the game and the conditions. I think New Zealand is a lot similar to our conditions back home. To do in the continent in quite a tough wicket and tough circumstances, it is probably a better innings. The impact will hopefully be bigger than the first (century). I am really happy with it. It has been a long time since the one in NZ, so it is nice to get in another one.”

Verreynne was particularly strong on the sweep. According to ESPNcricinfo’s stats, he got 49 runs off the 29 sweep shots he attempted which included the slog sweep. He struck five fours and a six in that region. The Bangladesh spinners, usually very good in Dhaka, didn’t have much of an answer against Verreynne.

He said that a discussion on the second morning with batting coach Ashley Prince really helped him get a perspective of what to do for the rest of the day. “Wiaan Mulder and I, and the batters chatted this morning. We spoke to batting coach Ashy P (Ashwell Prince) about how we are going to try to go about things. There was no specific emphasis put on playing the sweep.

“It was more just about how we back our options. Make sure we try to score and not go into our shells. We tried to play positively, get into better positions. We spoke to Ashy P about batting with the tail. It gave me a lot of clarity when I was batting with (Dane) Piedt and KG (Kagiso Rabada).”

Verreynne said that he usually plays the sweep shot against spin so he just implemented it regularly in this game but other batters have different styles of scoring runs in their side.

“I don’t think there’s been any extra emphasis (on the sweep shot). It is something that I have worked on quite a bit against spinners. It is not really a subcontinent specific thing. I would play it back home against spin as much as possible. I faced a lot of spin out there today so it is kind of what I am trying to do.

“A lot of guys have different ways of going about playing it. For me, this is something that I worked on. You saw Wiaan (Mulder), (Tony) de Zorzi and Ryan (Rickelton) scored runs through other areas. It is one of my strengths so I want to stick to it.”

Verreynne said that the pitch played better in the morning session but expects it to deteriorate further in the game.

“I think this morning (the pitch) played better than yesterday morning. I don’t know if it dried out or there wasn’t as much moisture. It seems to be getting tough as the day has gone on, so tomorrow and going further in the Test, (the pitch) will get tougher and tougher.”

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84

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‘The team needs a little bit more’ – Dillon du Preez unsure about future with South Africa

admin — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:05:31 +0000

South Africa’s interim coach, Dillon du Preez, who oversaw the team’s run to the women’s T20 World Cup final, is unsure if he will continue in the role because he feels “the team needs a little bit more”.

Du Preez has been in the job since May, when long-serving coach Hilton Moreeng chose to step away. Moreeng has since been appointed the coach of USA women’s senior and Under-19 teams. The timing of Moreeng’s departure – five months before the World Cup and with only one scheduled series (South Africa later added a short tour to Pakistan) – meant CSA promoted his assistant, du Preez, instead of looking to hire someone new. Though du Preez had been working with Moreeng since September 2020, he was hesitant about stepping into his shoes.

“That was quite a stressful month or two,” du Preez told ESPNcricinfo in Dubai before the World Cup final, where New Zealand beat South Africa by 32 runs. “We just found out that CSA were looking to extend us and then I heard Hilton had moved on. The DOC [director of cricket Enoch Nkwe] asked me to take the team to India. It was nerve-wracking because it’s the build-up to a World Cup and I didn’t want to be the guy that throws the cart off the mountain or whatever.”

Du Preez approached the task by discussing the situation as transparently as possible with the players and was helped with the addition of extra resources. CSA appointed a full-time batting coach for the team, Baakier Abrahams, and sent their new spin lead, Paul Adams, in the touring party so du Preez could focus on batting. “We’ve been working on the team culture and the most important thing for me is that the buy-in is there. When Enoch said we’re going to the World Cup and he wants me to still run the show, I got really nervous. And then he said he would send Paul Adams with and it’s been magical.

“The one promise we made to the team was because we don’t have a head coach, we will make it work. They understand me. They understand my limitations as well. So we just told them that, listen, we will make this work, don’t panic, don’t worry, just focus on the game.”

The team has done better than just that. Despite only winning one of seven series before the tournament – it happened to be one of the two du Preez was in charge for – South Africa reached the final in a second successive T20 World Cup. Their coup de grace was beating defending (and six-time) champions Australia in the semi-final by chasing 135 inside 17 overs.

In that match, they played a brand of brave cricket that they were unable to repeat in the final, as their batting faded away. But it is the way they aim to play going forward, according to du Preez. “We always knew it’s a bit more high-risk and it might be that in the beginning, we’ll pull off maybe two of five wins. But eventually, with the way we prep and the way we think – the blueprint – we’ll become more used to it.

“But I already think you can see the results. There’s no fear of failure. You’re either on the bus or you stay behind. That’s the way to play the game.”

After the final, du Preez was asked again whether he had any clarity on his future and he maintained that it was a conversation he would have with Nkwe on his return home. Given the schedule, it is likely he will stay on until the end of the year. South Africa host England in November-December for an all-format tour, which includes their first home Test in 22 years.

Du Preez’s hesitation comes from limited experience of high-level coaching. After a 14-year provincial cricket career, which included an IPL stint with RCB, du Preez coached at the University of the Free State. When posts for the academy and women’s team in Bloemfontein came up, he and fellow bowler Quinton Friend put their hands up and agreed that Friend would go to the academy and du Preez would “move into the women’s space”. He describes it as an “opportunity that came up at the right time”.

While Friend went on to spend several years as Imraan Khan’s assistant and has since taken over the Dolphins head job, du Preez’s path has been slightly different, which might explain his reluctance to continue at a high level immediately. He is, however, developing a coaching style of his own, based on a combination of experience and knowledge. “I’m more on the technical side of things. I think what’s helping me at the moment is the fact that I have been playing cricket, obviously not at a massively high level, so there are some things in matches which the team goes through which I understand.”

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Rabada on 300th Test wicket: ‘Everyone plays for milestones, it was a relief’

admin — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 13:20:03 +0000

Kagiso Rabada said he didn’t have his 300th Test wicket on his mind when the first Test against Bangladesh started on Monday, but was “really surprised at how the wicket played out” – 16 wickets fell on the day – and once the ball started seaming, he knew he was in business.

“We thought it was going to turn, and not really nip, but with the new ball, there was a bit of movement,” Rabada said after the day’s play. “Not really much swing, but off the wicket, there was quite a bit of seam movement.

“To be fair, that’s actually how it played in the nets. Generally, what you get in the nets is what you’ll get similarly in the middle. It’s turning for the spinners and seaming for the seamers too. We found that quite surprising. We don’t prepare the pitches, but that’s what was prepared, and it’s as simple as that.”

Wiaan Mulder started things off with a burst of three wickets, preying on the Bangladesh top-order batters’ expansive strokes. Rabada got among the wickets in his second spell at around the hour-mark, and also reached a special milestone – his 300th Test wicket, and he became the fastest to the landmark in all these years of Test cricket, beating Waqar Younis’ 24-year-old record.

Before he bowled a ball, however, Rabada was worried about how South Africa were going to force the issue, having been asked to bowl first at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, a ground with a reputation of producing raging turners. But between them, Mulder and Rabada had the home side at 45 for 5 in the 20th over.

When Mushfiqur Rahim became the fourth batter to fall, Rabada had his landmark wicket. And it was a special delivery that did it, swinging enough and nipping in slightly to take out both the off and middle stumps.

“When I came on to bowl this morning, I wasn’t really thinking about that final wicket,” Rabada said. “I was more focused on how we were going to win this Test, especially after losing the toss and bowling first. But when it happened, it was just a relief. Everyone plays for milestones, but it was a relief. The way my team-mates support me, we support each other, and that felt really good.

“It’s a special moment. As for the record, I didn’t know about it, but I guess it motivates me to do even better.”

Rabada became the sixth South Africa bowler to 300 Test wickets after Dale Steyn (439), Shaun Pollock (421), Makhaya Ntini (390), Allan Donald (330) and Morne Morkel (309).

The early damage, however, had been done by Mulder, who picked up the first three wickets to leave Bangladesh at 21 for 3.

“With 16 wickets on day one, I’d say it’s leaning towards the bowlers. Test cricket should offer a fair contest between bat and ball, where bowlers get something if they bowl well, and batters can score if they apply themselves”

Kagiso Rabada on the pitch

“He bowled unbelievably. He’s looked good ever since our camp back in South Africa. Credit to him – he’s worked really hard, and it shows,” Rabada said. “He didn’t really have to adjust much because he’s been bowling like this since the camp. I’m not surprised by the reward he got this morning. He was phenomenal, and I’m really happy for him.”

South Africa, responding to Bangladesh’s 106 all out, ended the day on 140 for 6, with Taijul Islam picking up five wickets. So spin after seam. To the inevitable question about whether this type of pitch was good for Test cricket, Rabada smiled before choosing the diplomatic route.

“I think there needs to be a balance in Test cricket. You want a fair contest between bat and ball. That’s the type of wicket you want,” he said. “You could argue that a bowling unit hasn’t bowled well or a batting unit hasn’t performed, and that’s the balance you’re always trying to weigh.

“But with 16 wickets on day one, I’d say it’s leaning towards the bowlers. Test cricket should offer a fair contest between bat and ball, where bowlers get something if they bowl well, and batters can score if they apply themselves.”

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84

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Trevor Penney replaces Shane Bond as Paarl Royals head coach for SA20 2025

admin — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:49:09 +0000

“We’re delighted to have Trevor join as head coach of Paarl Royals,” Royals’ director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said. “His track record with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and with the Barbados Royals in the CPL, where he’s helped in transforming the team into consistent contenders, shows the quality of coach he is. We believe his experience, combined with the leadership of David Miller and a talented squad, will help Paarl Royals continue their rise in SA20.

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Steyn and Sunrisers Hyderabad part ways before IPL 2025

admin — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 04:33:24 +0000

Former South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn will not continue as the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bowling coach for IPL 2025. However, he will continue to work with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape franchise in the SA20.

Steyn, who was appointed in the role before the 2022 season, had pulled out of IPL 2024 for personal reasons, with former New Zealand fast bowler James Franklin replacing him in the role.

“A big thank you to Sunrisers Hyderabad for my few years with them as bowling coach at the IPL, unfortunately, I won’t be returning for IPL 2025,” Steyn said on X (formerly Twitter). “However, I will continue to work with Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 here in South Africa. Two time winners here in SA20, let’s try make it three in a row.”

Steyn was appointed in the role under head coach Tom Moody in late 2021. Brian Lara then took over the position from Moody in 2023, and ahead of the 2024 season, Daniel Vettori was announced as the new head coach. Under Vettori, SRH made their first final since 2018 before losing to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Under Steyn, Eastern Cape won the first two SA20 titles, in 2023 and in 2024.

Steyn has also represented a number of franchises in the IPL including SRH, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the now-defunct Gujarat Lions and Deccan Chargers.

On Wednesday, ESPNcricinfo reported that SRH are set to retain Heinrich Klaasen, captain Pat Cummins and Abhishek Sharma ahead of the IPL mega auction scheduled to happen later this year.

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Bavuma ruled out of first Test in Bangladesh

admin — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 09:08:12 +0000

A CSA statement said that Bavuma will “travel with the squad to Dhaka on Tuesday and continue his recovery under the supervision of the Proteas medical team in preparation for the second Test”, which will start in Chattogram on October 29.

On October 6, Bavuma was ruled out of the third and final ODI against Ireland with what was understood to be an elbow injury. He had retired hurt during the second ODI, on October 4, and didn’t field in that match. Rassie van der Dussen led South Africa in Bavuma’s absence, with Markram rested for that series.

Brevis, CSA said, has been called up “as cover” for Bavuma. He hasn’t played a Test match yet – he has only played two T20Is so far – but has played 12 first-class matches, most recently for South Africa A against Sri Lanka A in Benoni, where he scored 49 and 74 in a five-wicket loss.

Ngidi, who played all three ODIs against Ireland in Abu Dhabi, picking up two-fors in the first two matches, now completes the fast-bowling department which also has Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson and Wiaan Mulder, the allrounder.

South Africa Test squad for Bangladesh tour

Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram (capt for first Test), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Kyle Verreynne (wk)

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Kapp sets the tone before bowlers combine in SA’s NRR-boosting win over Scotland

admin — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:21:41 +0000

South Africa’s left-arm spinners were the prime destroyers. Chloe Tryon was the first to strike, dismissing the Bryce sisters – Katherine and Sarah – caught-and-bowled in successive overs. Nonkululeko Mlaba was a menace through the middle overs, as she has been all tournament, and collected the game’s best figures of 3 for 12 from her four overs, with Nadine de Klerk also getting two wickets in addition to Tryon. Thus, the 80-run victory pushed South Africa to the top of Group B, their net run rate rising to 1.317.

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October 9 at T20 World Cup: SA look to get back to winning ways; India eye Asia Cup revenge

admin — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 10:49:47 +0000

Scotland squad: Kathryn Bryce (capt), Chloe Abel, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Olivia Bell, Sarah Bryce (wk), Darcey Carter, Priyanaz Chatterji, Katherine Fraser, Saskia Horley, Lorna Jack, Ailsa Lister, Abtaha Maqsood, Megan McColl, Hannah Rainey, Rachel Slater

South Africa squad: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon

Tournament form guide: Scotland’s maiden T20 World Cup appearance hasn’t gone to plan so far with two back-to-back losses. They started their tournament with a 16-run defeat against Bangladesh, before going down heavily to West Indies by six wickets and 50 balls to spare. South Africa are also coming into this game on the back of a seven-wicket loss against England which saw them slip to third on the points table. Their ten-wicket win against West Indies, though, has kept their net run rate (NRR) relatively healthy.

News brief: There are no major injury concerns in either camp, though it remains to be seen how South Africa manage the players’ workload considering a less-than-48 hours turnaround time after their game against England was a day-night affair in Sharjah on Monday. Scotland are bottom placed on the group B points table, and with an NRR of -1.897, a loss against South Africa will most certainly end their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals. South Africa, on the other hand, can leapfrog England and secure top spot with a big win in Dubai. This is the first time South Africa and Scotland will face-off in any format in women’s cricket. Heat is once again going to be a factor in the day game in Dubai, with temperatures likely to touch 38 degrees Celsius.

Player to watch: Nonkululeko Mlaba is currently the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with five wickets and could once again be South Africa’s trump card, especially in the day game where the ball is expected to turn more. Mlaba picked a four-wicket haul the last time she played in Dubai – against West Indies, earlier in this World Cup – and will want a repeat of that performance.

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, S Sajana

Sri Lanka squad: Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kavisha Dilshari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika Kumari

Tournament form guide: India suffered a big 58-run loss against New Zealand in their opening game, but managed to get past Pakistan in Dubai by six wickets on Sunday. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are currently bottom of the group A points table, and are yet to win a game. They lost their opening match against lower-ranked Pakistan by 31 runs, and then went down to Australia by six wickets on Saturday.

News brief: India are sweating on the fitness of captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who sprained her neck in the last over of India’s chase against Pakistan. She retired hurt holding the back of her neck, and was later seen applying an ice pack when the teams were making their way to the team bus after the game. Pooja Vastrakar also missed the previous game due to a niggle, with S Sajana replacing her, and it remains to be seen whether Vastrakar makes a comeback for the Sri Lanka fixture.

India hold the advantage by a 19-5 margin in T20Is against Sri Lanka. But one of those five defeats was as recent as this July at the Asia Cup final. India will be keen on exacting revenge. They need a big win to bolster their NRR, something that they did not manage in their victory against Pakistan despite restricting them to 105. A defeat for Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will make their chances of moving to the next round almost nil. Dew has not had much of an effect in the games in Dubai so far, with the sticky nature of the surface and long boundaries also not making run-scoring easy.

Player to watch: Smriti Mandhana does not have the greatest of records in T20Is against Sri Lanka: 379 runs in 19 innings at 22.29 with two fifties. But in a crunch game, India will bank on their experienced batter to give them a grand start, something that has not happened so far in the tournament. If Harmanpreet does not get fit in time, there is a chance Mandhana could lead the side, and she will want to stamp her authority, especially after two failures.

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