It will not be an easy job for Indian women’s team. All rounders are expected to play a big role for both teams and here India seems a step behind from their opponents. Both teams have good but Australia has a players with power hitting ability.
Dot balls will be another concern for India as captain Kaur mentioned in the previous match against England. Bowling is led by Renuka Singh but there is no equivalent support on the other end.
T20 is funny game, any side can beat any big name, it’s just about winning 10 overs and being at best for that period of time. India certainly has players who can play long innings.
Richa Ghosh and Harmanpreet Kaur will need to play best of their tournament. Both players have the hitting ability that will put pressure on Australian bowlers. The match will be played in Capetown. That is a decent wicket, and Australia with heavy batting line-up will prefer to go all attacking against India.
Alyssa Healy missed the last knockout game against South Africa but she is making a comeback in the semifinals. Their top three has already a 50 score to their name and down the order Ashleigh Gardner and Grace Harris will be doing job of acceleration.
Likely Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown
Likely India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Pooja Vastrakar, Shikha Pandey, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh
Australia vs India in an official T20I:
Australia 4-196 (Gardner 66, Harris 64; Verma 1-17) defeated India 142 (Sharma 53, Deol 24; Graham 4-8) by 54 runs at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, December 20, 2022
During the World Cup warm-up phase:
Australia 8-129 (Wareham 32no, Mooney 28; Pandey 2-9) defeated India 86 all out (Sharma 19, Deol 12; Brown 4-17) by 43 runs at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town on February 6, 2023
ICC T20I Rankings
Australia: 1st; India: 4th
Overall T20I record
Played 30 | Australia 22 | India 7 | NR: 1
Best T20 World Cup result
Australia: Champions (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020)
India: Runners-up (2020)