Dozens of hands were working tirelessly at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai through Tuesday (March 15) to get the last-minute touchups sorted at the venue, which is set to host West Indies Women and Pakistan Women for the first international fixture since October last year, when India played a One-Day International against South Africa.
West Indies, apart from being the favourite for the Group B clash of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 2016, is also better prepared than Pakistan, which, unfortunately, has not had enough match time ahead of the big competition.
The last time the two sides met for a limited-overs series, in the Caribbean, Stafanie Taylor's side won the ODI series 3-1 and the T20 International series 3-0.
Pakistan's squad has undergone a lot of changes since that disappointing tour of the West Indies. The selectors have recalled Nahida Bibi Khan, the medium pacer, Sadiya Yousuf, the left-arm spinner, Sidra Nawaz, the 21-year-old wicketkeeper, and Sidra Ameen, the medium pacer who featured in the ODIs against West Indies.
But there is no lack of experience in the Pakistan camp, with the likes of Sana Mir, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan, Nain Abidi and Nida Dar having played a lot of international cricket over the years.
Meanwhile, West Indies, which has lost in the semi-final of the WWT20 three times in a row, will be desperate to get that monkey off its back. But, in the one warm-up game it played against Australia Women here on Monday, things didn't go to plan, with the defending champion beating it by 43 runs.
But Taylor, who replaced Merissa Aguilleira as captain recently, has a very exciting unit at her disposal, and the team practiced at the nets alongside members – two pacers and an offspinner – of a local Under-23 boys’ team, and the batters – Deandra Dottin in particular – looked in great shape, practicing some of the big shots the format demands.
West Indies, apart from being the favourite for the Group B clash of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 2016, is also better prepared than Pakistan, which, unfortunately, has not had enough match time ahead of the big competition.
The last time the two sides met for a limited-overs series, in the Caribbean, Stafanie Taylor's side won the ODI series 3-1 and the T20 International series 3-0.
Pakistan's squad has undergone a lot of changes since that disappointing tour of the West Indies. The selectors have recalled Nahida Bibi Khan, the medium pacer, Sadiya Yousuf, the left-arm spinner, Sidra Nawaz, the 21-year-old wicketkeeper, and Sidra Ameen, the medium pacer who featured in the ODIs against West Indies.
But there is no lack of experience in the Pakistan camp, with the likes of Sana Mir, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan, Nain Abidi and Nida Dar having played a lot of international cricket over the years.
Meanwhile, West Indies, which has lost in the semi-final of the WWT20 three times in a row, will be desperate to get that monkey off its back. But, in the one warm-up game it played against Australia Women here on Monday, things didn't go to plan, with the defending champion beating it by 43 runs.
But Taylor, who replaced Merissa Aguilleira as captain recently, has a very exciting unit at her disposal, and the team practiced at the nets alongside members – two pacers and an offspinner – of a local Under-23 boys’ team, and the batters – Deandra Dottin in particular – looked in great shape, practicing some of the big shots the format demands.
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