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Sri Lanka and West Indies will aim to boost their standings when they go head-to-head in round three of the ICC Women’s Championship, which starts in Colombo on Wednesday.
The series includes four ODIs but only the final three matches scheduled for 15, 18 and 20 May will count towards the eight-team ICC Women’s Championship. The top four sides from this tournament will qualify automatically for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, while the bottom four sides will play in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier.
The West Indies is currently sitting fifth on the table while Sri Lanka is seventh. A 3-0 series victory for the visitors would see it join early pace-setters Australia at the top of the table.
Sri Lanka, in contrast, would create daylight between itself and India at the bottom end of the table if it wins the series. A series whitewash would see it move into third position on the league table, while a 2-1 victory for the hosts would see it climb two places to join England on seven points.
Looking ahead to the three-match ODI series, Sri Lanka Captain Chamari Atapaththu said: “We are excited to play West Indies in our home town and the team is looking forward to the start of the series.
“The ICC Women’s Championship is already proving to be a good initiative for the women’s game and the structure will see each team compete each other in a home and away series which is very important to all teams and will guarantee at least 21 ODI games for each team. This is very important to develop the game and its standards around the world.
“Every ODI series that we play is very important to us and this will naturally create awareness and interest across the women’s game.” West Indies captain Merissa Aguilleira added: “The team arrived in Sri Lanka a few days ago and had a successful training camp ahead of the start of the series which gave us an opportunity to get acclimatised to the Sri Lankan conditions.
“It is more humid than we are accustomed to but we have adjusted very quickly. The girls are coming off the domestic season in the West Indies and are ready and rearing to go. Although we have some of our experienced players absent due to injury, the players who have replaced them have all been in the team before and have fit very easily into the set up.
“We are determined to do well here because, coming out of our series loss in Australia, it is very important for us to gain points in this series to continue to compete for a top spot in the ICC Women’s Championship rankings.”
The West Indies will once again be pinning its hopes on Stafanie Taylor, the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2012. The 23-year-old Jamaican will be the highest-ranked batter, bowler and all-rounder from either side in the series. Taylor is ranked sixth in the Reliance ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings for Batters, while she tops the Reliance ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings for Bowlers as well as Reliance ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings for All-rounders.
Deandra Dottin is the other West Indies batter inside the top 10 in eighth position while Sri Lanka’s Chamari Jayangani shares ninth spot with Australia’s Jessica Cameron. Apart from Taylor, the other bowler inside the top 20 to feature in the series is Anisa Mohammed (fourth).
Squads
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Chathurani Gunewardena, Ama Kanchana, Sugandhika Kumari, Eshani Lokusuriya, Lasanthi Madushani, Dilani Manodara (wk) , Hasini Perera, Chamari Polgampola, Udeshika Prabodhini, Inoka Ranaweera, Maduri Samuddika, H.A.S.D. Siriwardene, Prasadini Weerakkody (wk) and Sripalee Weerakkody
West Indies: Merissa Aguilleira (captain/wk), Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry, Stacy-Ann King, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Tremayne Smartt and Stafanie Taylor.
Forthcoming Fixtures
