CWG 2022 - India are medal contenders, but the gold seems reserved for Australia

In this, the first part of our team-wise lookahead to the cricket event at the Commonwealth Games 2022, we focus on Australia, Barbados, India and Pakistan.

Australia

Overview
Though in a bit of a transitional phase off the field after losing head coach Matthew Mott to the England men's white-ball set-up, Australia retain an imposing squad, which has made them world-beaters for years. Two T20 World Cup titles, two Ashes series victories, and an ODI World Cup crown in the past four years, and you can bet they are hell-bent on adding the inaugural women's Commonwealth Games gold medal to that trophy cabinet. Their depth is breath-taking, as illustrated by the fact that a player of Ellyse Perry's calibre has for some time now been outside their first-choice T20I side.

Squad
Meg Lanning (capt), Rachael Haynes, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Recent form
Rain-affected T20s during the Ashes series at the start of the year and more recently against Ireland and Pakistan don't provide the best gauge, but Australia were most convincing in the matches that were completed. Their run to the T20 World Cup title two-and-a-half years ago wasn't quite as rampant as their ODI triumph at the start of this year, but they're favourites for very good reason.

Player to watch
Tahlia McGrath stunned England with 91 not out, batting for just the third time in T20Is during their Ashes series opener. It was one of those moments when England thought they had done pretty well reaching 169 for 4 only to discover Australia had yet another trick up their sleeves and McGrath led them to a thumping nine-wicket victory. She has batted four times in the format now and been named Player of the Match in each one, most recently for her 70 off 45 balls against Ireland last week. She shared a record third-wicket stand for Australia of 135 with Meg Lanning and finally has a T20 batting average - 247.00 - after being dismissed in that match.

By Valkerie Baynes and Andrew McGlashan

Barbados

Overview
Barbados will be making their international debut at the Commonwealth Games, as the representative country for the West Indian islands. As a multi-nation team is unable to compete at the Games, CWI intended to use the 2021 T20 Blaze as a qualification tournament to decide which nation would compete on their behalf. When the tournament was cancelled because of Covid-19, Barbados were chosen, having won the most recent competition in 2019.

While it is the first time we'll be seeing Barbados compete at the global stage, they aren't short of experience among their squad. Seven of their 15-member squad have played international cricket, with six of them part of the West Indies squad that won the T20 World Cup in 2016. They will be led by Hayley Matthews, the 24-year-old allrounder who has been announced as Stafanie Taylor's successor as West Indies captain.

Squad
Hayley Matthews* (capt), Aaliyah Alleyne*, Shanika Bruce, Shai Carrington, Shaunte Carrington, Shamilia Connell*, Deandra Dottin*, Keila Elliott, Trishan Holder, Kycia Knight*, Kyshona Knight*, Alisa Scantlebury, Shakera Selman*, Tiffany Thorpe, Aaliyah Williams

* Capped by West Indies

Recent form
Domestic T20s (most recent first): LWWWW
Barbados have had a strong domestic season, lifting the Super50 Cup unbeaten, while they narrowly missed out on the 2022 T20 Blaze title to Jamaica on net run-rate. Matthews topped the run charts in both tournaments, while medium-pace bowler Shanika Bruce was the leading wicket-taker in the Blaze.

Player to watch
It's hard to look past Deandra Dottin. She was the first woman to score a T20I century, she has the best T20 bowling figures for West Indies - 5 for 5 against Bangladesh at the 2018 T20 World Cup - and to top it off, she's one of the standout fielders in the game. A natural athlete, in an alternate timeline, Dottin could have been at these games competing in another discipline - she was a junior Caribbean champion in the shot put, discus and javelin. Instead, Barbados will be grateful for her explosive presence at the top of their batting order and her readiness to put her hand up to bowl the big overs when the pressure is on. If Barbados are to spring a surprise at Birmingham 2022, Dottin's ability to change a game single-handedly will be key.

By Paul Muchmore

India

Overview
The towering presence of two legends - Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami - may no longer be there, but the shadow of Covid-19 is clearly still there. India are effectively a squad of 13 at the moment, and it is likely to remain that way at least for the first two group games.

Missing are S Meghana, the top-order batter, and premier allrounder Pooja Vastrakar, who offers fearless and clean ball-striking in the lower order apart from bowling nippy seam-ups.

In a big change, though, Harmanpreet Kaur knows she is the leader, and India don't have to switch captains as they move between formats, like they did until the 2022 World Cup when Raj was still an active player. This is Harmanpreet's team, and the core group of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma all have vital roles to play if India are to challenge for a medal. Gold may be tricky - Australia, remember? - but a young team, hardened by heartbreaks of the past, are determined to carve an identity. Birmingham is another opportunity.

Squad
Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, S. Meghana, Taniya Sapna Bhatia, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Thakur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana Standbys: Richa Ghosh, Poonam Yadav, Simran Dil Bahadur

Recent form
India are coming off a successful tour of Sri Lanka, where they won the ODIs (3-0) and T20Is (2-1). Rodrigues returning to form in the T20Is after a rough year - she had been dropped from the World Cup squad - was a positive, as was the transformation of Shafali Verma, who is showing signs of being more than just a feared ball-striker; she is on the way to becoming an all-round batter who can temper her game based on the conditions and the team's needs.

Player to watch
Yastika Bhatia has emerged as a vital piece in the team's jigsaw. Her ability to hit big wasn't in doubt, but lately, she has learnt to marry that with consistency. Her presence could take some pressure off Harmanpreet in the middle order. Yastika has also been groomed as a wicketkeeper, which also gives the flexibility of playing an extra batter or bowler based on conditions.

By Shashank Kishore

Pakistan

Overview
Pakistan do not have a good history at major tournaments and have only won three out of 30 50-over World Cup matches [including a losing streak of 18 games] and seven out of 28 T20 World Cup games. They will hope the Commonwealth Games starts changing that. Theirs is a tough group, which includes Australia and India, a match that is set to be a sellout and could also play a major role in whether they advance to the knockouts. With Australia's dominance in the women's game, the Pakistan vs India match could effectively be a quarter-final, and history is not on Pakistan's side. They have only won two out of the 11 matches they have played against India and none of the last nine. Bismah Mahroof's baby daughter Fatima and her mother have been allowed to stay in the athlete's village so expect more cuteness as the tournament plays out.

Squad
Bismah Maroof (capt), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gul Feroza, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Tuba Hassan