Women's T20 Challenge 2022: Predicting strongest playing XI of Trailblazers

The opening game of the Women’s T20 Challenge 2022 sees the Supernovas lock horns against the Trailblazers on May 23. All games of this edition will be hosted by the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The final is scheduled to take place on May 28.

The Trailblazers are the defending champions, having defeated the Supernovas in the final of the last edition in 2022. Smriti Mandhana will continue to lead the side as they look to defend the title. The Trailblazers have got a well-balanced squad and have got some exciting players on their side.

Ahead of their opening clash against the Supernovas, have a look at the strongest playing XI that can take the field on May 23.

1) Smriti Mandhana (c)

The left-handed opening batter will lead the Trailblazers. She has been excellent at the highest level as well as one of the most consistent performers for the Indian side in recent times. She finished as the highest run-scorer for India in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 with 327 runs in eight games. Mandhana even led Maharashtra to the final of the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy 2022 and will look to lead by example in the next few games.

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2) Hayley Matthews

Hayley Matthews was the lone fighter for the West Indian side in the 2022 Women’s World Cup. She scored 260 runs and picked up 10 wickets in eight games. She has plenty of experience under her belt and it will come in handy while playing in the Women’s T20 Challenge 2022. Matthews is a clean striker of the cricket ball.

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3) Jemimah Rodrigues

Jemimah Rodrigues burst onto the scene when she was a teenager. The right-handed batter impressed everyone with her strokeplay and even participated in the T20 leagues around the world. She has lost her place in the national side in recent times and she will be looking to make a comeback in the side. She will be a vital cog in the Trailblazers’ batting lineup.

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4) S Meghana

S Meghana made her international debut for India against New Zealand just before the World Cup. The aggressive top-order batter deserved a place in the national side after scoring heavy runs in domestic competitions. She represents Railways at the domestic level and is capable of taking the game away from the opposition in a jiffy. She is coming off a good run of form after scoring 263 runs in eight games in the recently concluded Senior Women’s T20 Trophy.

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5) Richa Ghosh (wk)

Richa Ghosh has taken giant strides since making her international debut in 2020. The right-handed batter is known for her fearless batting and can take down any opposition on her day. She has been a regular member of the Indian side for the last 12 months and will look to use all her experience while representing the Trailblazers.

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6) Sophia Dunkley

Sophia Dunkley made her debut for England in 2018 after putting in some impressive performances in the domestic circuit. She has cemented her place in the English side since then and also featured in the 2022 Women’s World Cup, finishing as the second highest run-scorer for her side. She is known for some innovative strokes and is capable of playing the role of a finisher for the defending champions.

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7) Arundhati Reddy

Arundhati Reddy has been in and out of the Indian side. The right-handed seamer from Hyderabad has experience of 26 T20Is in which she has picked up 18 wickets at an average of 36.05. She is handy with the bat lower down the order and will look to contribute with both bat and ball in hand.

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8) Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Rajeshwari Gayakwad has been one of the most consistent performers for the Indian side in recent times. The left-arm spinner finished as India’s highest wicket-taker in the 2022 Women’s World Cup with 11 wickets to her name. She was also impressive for the Railways in the domestic T20 trophy and will look to carry her form in the Women’s T20 Challenge 2022.

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9) Salma Khatun

Salma Khatun is one of the most experienced players in the side. The right-handed all-rounder has played 44 ODIs and 78 T20Is for Bangladesh and will look to use that experience while representing the Trailblazers. She was also good with the ball for Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022. Her ability to bowl with the new ball makes her a player to watch out for in the competition.

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10) Renuka Singh

Renuka Singh will be leading the pace-bowling attack for the Trailblazers. Singh has been a member of the Indian squad for the last few months. The right-arm pacer from Himachal Pradesh was good in the recently concluded domestic competition and will look to grab the selectors’ attention by putting in performances while rubbing shoulders with the best in the world.

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11) Poonam Yadav

The wily leg-spinner along with Rajeshwari Gayakwad will form the spin-bowling department. They both form a deadly combo. Poonam is capable of deceiving the batters with her flight and has already picked up 181 wickets at the international level. She has plenty of experience and we have seen a number of game-changing spells from her. Expect something special from her in the upcoming edition of the Women’s T20 Challenge.

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Strongest Playing XI of Trailblazers

Smriti Mandhana (c), Hayley Matthews, Jemimah Rodrigues, S Meghana, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sophia Dunkley, Arundhati Reddy, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Salma Khatun, Renuka Singh, Poonam Yadav