Inside Word: How are our Scorchers faring at the T20 World Cup

Australia and England have both romped to a pair of convincing victories, while India and South Africa have rebounded from early tournament stumbles to likely progressors out of their respective groups.

Scorchers fans would have noticed some notable performances from familiar faces in the early matches, let’s take a look at what each Scorcher has done so far, and what their role could be for the rest of the tournament. 

Sophie Devine
The New Zealand skipper produced a match-winning captains knock as her side upset India in her side’s opening fixture.

The powerful right-hander struck 57 not out off just 36 balls including seven fours to guide her side to a score of 4-160 off their 20 overs. Her captaincy proved crucial in the field too, with India bowled out for 102 and handing New Zealand a dominant first up win.

Devine is one of the most dynamic players in Women’s cricket when in full flight, so if she can carry on her form into the latter stages of the tournament, expect New Zealand to be fighting for the trophy.

Dayalan Hemalatha
India, one of the tournament favourites, are currently sitting comfortably in second place in Group A, with two wins from their opening three matches.

Their batting lineup has been consistent from the outset, with Smriti Mandhana, Shefali Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur all among the runs in the tournament so far. 

This means India haven’t needed to turn to the talents of Hemalatha…. yet. 

The powerful right-hander can take the game away from the opposition in an instant, and while she might not feature in the early stages of the tournament, she might prove to be a valuable addition to India’s batting lineup as the pitches start to wear.

Known for her strong hitting down the ground and the ability to counter-attack against spin, the conditions in Dubai will suit Hemalatha more than most other players in the tournament. 

Alana King 
Australia’s all-conquering lineup is a hard one to crack into, just ask Alana King.  

Two matches, two victories. It’s been as simple as that for the Aussies, with their bowling attack hardly putting a foot wrong in conceding scores of just 93 and 88 in the opening two matches.

However, King’s time will come. Crucial matches against Pakistan and India await, and  with England and South Africa also looming in the knockout stage, teams that King has previously performed very well against.

The pitches have proven tough for batting so far, and with conditions not expected to improve from here on end, King could yet play a significant role as the Aussies vie for their fourth straight T20 World Cup title.

Amy Jones
Two dominant victories over South Africa and Bangladesh means are England are likely headed for an easier path into the knockout stages.

The ease of their wins so far has meant Amy Jones hasn’t been called upon to deliver her usual match-winning displays. 

She has only been required to bat once, scoring 12 off 16 balls on a difficult wicket against Bangladesh, with England grinding their way to 7-118 off 20 overs.

Her keeping has been faultless to date, especially with England’s spin-heavy bowling lineup. 

England will face much sterner challenges as the tournament wears on, which is when Jones will come into her own. 

Beth Mooney
Beth Mooney runs in big games; you can almost set your watch to it. 

The ever-reliable opener has produced scores of 40 and 43 not out in her first two matches, leading Australia to runaway victories against New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

While the conditions have been uncomfortably warm and tricky for batting, Mooney has managed to work through the obstacles and put the team on her back.

It’s no surprise to see Mooney feature among the leading run-scorers, a position you would expect her to maintain as the tournament reaches it’s crescendo.

If Australia go deep into the tournament, Mooney will be one of the main reasons why.