WI Women seeking T20 World Cup revenge

SYDNEY, Australia (CMC):

When West Indies begin their bid for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 title on Saturday, vice-captain Anisa Mohammed says they will be seeking revenge on hosts Australia.

Speaking ahead of her side’s opening match against Thailand in Perth, the 31-year-old spinner said the Caribbean women were working hard to one-up the Meg Lanning-led squad in the 10-team tournament.

Mohammed – the highest T20I wicket-taker of all time – helped Windies beat Australia to the title in 2016 at Eden Gardens; but the Caribbean women then lost out to the same opposition at the semi-­final stage on home soil in 2018, with a 71-run defeat.

“We’ve come to win this World Cup and take it back from Australia,” the Trinidadian said.

“It would be nice to spoil the party. They spoiled ours, so it would be nice to return the favour.”

A World Cup victory would not only be a team achievement, but a personal one for Mohammed.

“The final in 2016 was a really special day. That was probably the biggest highlight of my career – winning a World Cup. It’s ­something I’d love to do again,” she said.

“As a team, we know what it’s like to win and what it’s like to lose. Winning is definitely better, so we want to win this time.”

Australia are one of the favourites of the tournament, but Mohammed believes West Indies have what it takes to rain on their parade.

“Australia have been doing really well. They recently played in the tri-series and came out on top, but we’ve been working hard ourselves.

“Australia are known as the top team in the world. All teams will be gunning to beat them,” she said.

West Indies Women and Australia Women met in a bilateral series in September 2019, and the under-strength Caribbean side were beaten 3-0 and by margins of six, nine and nine wickets, respectively.

Experienced West Indies fast-bowler Shakera Selman fanned the flames of the rivalry by revealing that it’s only recently the two teams have started to build relationships.

“We have some history with Australia,” said Selman. “Since the last series, I’ve noticed a lot of the girls have built some sort of friendship and some sort of camaraderie.

“They’ve beaten us a few times. They were hurting after we beat them in 2016, and they came back to beat us two years later. It would be a big game if we faced them in the semi-finals, but we’ve got to take each one as it comes.”

Australia Women will open the seventh ­season of the T20 World Cup 2020 on Friday with a contest against India Women at Sydney Showground.

Following their first match against Thailand at the WACA in Perth, Western Australia, West Indies Women will play Pakistan Women on February 26 at Manuka Oval, Canberra; England Women on March 1; and South Africa Women on March 3. The latter two games will be played at Sydney Showground.

The tournament will culminate on March 8 with the final match in Melbourne.