Under a relentless Manchester sun – the same strip where South Africa edged India last Sunday – Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana won the toss and chose to bat. With Group 1 tightening, her thinking was plain enough: post runs, then squeeze. “give our everything,” she said, nodding to both the heat and the semi-final race.
India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, sunglasses on and unflustered, did not mind bowling first. She noted that “it was a good wicket to bat on and batters who spent time there would be rewarded.” Even so, India shuffled the pack again. Left-arm spinner-all-rounder Radha Yadav replaces leg-spinner Prema Rawat, while new-ball seamer Renuka Singh comes in for Arundhati Reddy. Neither Radha nor Renuka has featured in this World Cup until today.
Bangladesh stick with the XI that overcame Pakistan in Southampton five days ago – the logic being, why fiddle with a winning side when momentum can be fragile? They have two points fewer than India, yet a victory moves them level and leaves everything up for grabs in the final round.
Context, then. Pakistan and the Netherlands are already out. Australia have one foot in the semis. That leaves India, South Africa and Bangladesh chasing the remaining two spots. Lose today and the maths becomes ugly rather than terminal; win and destiny stays in-house.
The pitch is hard, boundaries square and straight are even, and the forecast says no respite from the sun. Whoever manages the heat – literal and figurative – should walk away happier.
Teams
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma, Renuka Singh.
Bangladesh: Juairiya Ferdous, Dilara Akter, Sharmin Akthter, Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Nahida Akter, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Sanjida Akter.
First ball is due shortly. Ice towels already in demand.
