India vs Pakistan
Dubai, 2pm local time
India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, S Sajana
Pakistan squad: Fatima Sana (capt), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan
Tournament form guide: On the back of a stunning bowling effort, Pakistan opened the tournament with a 31-run win against Sri Lanka in Sharjah. India, meanwhile, suffered a 58-run loss to New Zealand amid high drama in Dubai.
News brief: In the match against Sri Lanka, medium pacer Diana Baig only bowled one ball before she pulled up with what looked like a calf injury. It is understood that Baig did not train on the eve of the match and that she would be assessed on Sunday ahead of the game. India-Pakistan contests have rather been one-sided in favour of India. India have won five out of the seven matches they've played against Pakistan in T20 World Cups, with Pakistan last winning in the 2016 tournament. India have also dominated against them in T20s overall, having won 12 out of 15 games. Regardless, the encounter is expected to draw huge crowds, with over 10,000 tickets reportedly being sold for the game on Sunday.
Players to watch: Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal is having her best year in T20Is. Among all players at the T20 World Cup, she has taken the most wickets in 2024, with 24 wickets in 15 games. She was impressive in the opener against Sri Lanka as well, taking three middle-order wickets, including that of the top-scorer Nilakshika Silva. She finished with figures of 3 for 17.
Scotland vs West Indies
Dubai, 6pm local time
Scotland squad: Kathryn Bryce (capt), Chloe Abel, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Olivia Bell, Sarah Bryce (wk), Darcey Carter, Priyanaz Chatterji, Katherine Fraser, Saskia Horley, Lorna Jack, Ailsa Lister, Abtaha Maqsood, Megan McColl, Hannah Rainey, Rachel Slater
West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (capt), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle (vice-capt, wk), Ashmini Munisar, Afy Fletcher, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Qiana Joseph, Zaida James, Karishma Ramharack, Mandy Mangru, Nerissa Crafton
Tournament guide: In their maiden World Cup appearance, Scotland lost to Bangladesh by 16 runs. West Indies, too, are coming into the match on the back of a big loss, having gone down to South Africa by 10 wickets in Dubai.
News brief: West Indies are waiting on injury updates for a couple of key players. Bowler Zaida James suffered a blow to the jaw while fielding off her own bowling, but captain Hayley Matthews said after the game that "she hopefully will be able to be back up for the next match". Senior allrounder Stafanie Taylor also looked in some discomfort during her knock of 44 not out. It was revealed that she had been troubled by soreness in her knee and that she would undergo an assessment before training on Saturday.
Player to watch: Scotland will surely want to use the offspin of Saskia Horley more. Bowling two overs in the match against Bangladesh, she picked up three wickets for just 13 runs having only been brought into the attack in the 18th over. She had quite an impressive run with the bat in the Netherlands ODI tri-series in August and in the match against PNG, she took 4 for 24, bowling her full quota.
