The stage is all set for Match 13 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Division 2 Qualifier 2025, as Italy Women face off against Spain Women at the Roma Cricket Ground in Rome. This final round of group-stage games carries significant weight, with both teams vying for a strong finish.
Italy remains unbeaten so far, after three games. The table toppers stand strong with 6 points to their team, on the back of victories over Jersey by 7 wickets in their first match, Isle of Man by 8 wickets and Sweden women by 10 wickets. Dilaisha Nanayakkara has been their leading run-scorer and also of the competition with 157 runs in 3 outings, averaging 78.50.
On the other hand, Spain remains on the bottom of the points table with zero points. They failed to register a victory in all the encounters so far, losing to Sweden by 13 runs, Germany by 28 runs and Jersey by 7 wickets. As Italy lock horns for their final encounter they aim for qualifying to the next division.
Squads:
Italy Women’s Cricket Team:
Emilia Bartram(C), Dilaisha Nanayakkara (VC), Teshani Araliya, Nimesha Ekanayake, Ishara Jayamannage, Pasindi Kanankege, Alexia Kontopirakis, Chathurika Mahamalage, Emma Moore, Kumudu Peddrick, Chloe Piparo, Methnara Rathnayake (WK), Ilenia Sims, Annie Wikman
Spain Women’s Cricket Team:
Amy Brown-Carrera, Andrea Davidson-Soler, Elspeth Fowler, Muskan Naseeb, Alexis Hartley, Marisol Carrera Vivar, Memoona Riaz Qureshi, Uswa Syed, Amelia Jones, Tasbiha Mirza, Mardiya Mohammed, Naomi Hillman-Bermejo, Payal Chilongia, Rabia Mushtaq, Samia Bisharat
Players to watch out:
Dilaisha Nanayakkara
Nanayakkara is a pivotal all-rounder, and she has been instrumental for Italy with her right-handed batting and off-break bowling. Her campaign took off with a quick half century of 86 runs followed by 58* in the third match. In 40 WT20Is, she has amassed a total of 401 runs and scalped 25 wickets.
Emma Moore
Emma Moore has been a reliable presence in Italy’s middle-order. The young gun has accumulated 50 runs in 3 batting innings and taken 5 wickets in 10 bowling innings. Her brief experience and temperament make her a key asset in pressure situations. Notably, in her only outing in this competition, she returned figures of 1/16 (3).
Alexis Hartley
The top-order-batter has been effective in providing crucial runs for Spain. She followed up her scores of 8 and 21 with a fine 41 in her most recent outing, proving as a force to be reckoned with. In 11 WT20Is so far, she has amassed 161 runs and picked up 2 wickets with the best bowling figure of 2/6.
Uswa Syed
Syed has been a vital component of Spain’s bowling attack. She has played 20 WT20Is, picking up 22 wickets with best bowling figures of 3/5 and amassing 175 runs. She has been a standout in this competition, producing bowling figures of 2/21, 1/26, and 1/30, and also chipped in scoring 15 in her most recent outing.
Pitch:
The Roma Cricket Ground has offered balanced conditions in recent T20 matches. The pitch tends to assist batters early on, but as the game progresses, spinners come into play, exploiting any turn on offer. The conditions have been conducive to competitive cricket.
Weather:
The conditions in Rome are expected to be pleasant, with bright, sunny skies during match hours. The temperature is anticipated to reach a high of 29°C, with 38% of humidity. These conditions are ideal for a full day of cricket without any rain interruptions.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Methnara Rathnayake, Emilia Bartram, Emma Moore, Elspeth Fowler, Alexis Hartley, Uswa Syed, Dilaisha Nanayakkara, Memoona Riaz Qureshi, Ilenia Sims, Kumudu Peddrick, Payal Chilongia
Match details:
Date – May 29, 2025
Time – 1:45 PM IST
Venue – Roma Cricket Ground, Rome
Broadcast – The game will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website.
