T20 World Cup: India look to strengthen semis berth vs injury-marred Australia

After their massive 58-run loss to New Zealand in their opening game, it seemed that India would find it tough to go through to the semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

But going into their last league game against Australia on Sunday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Harmanpreet Kaur’s women are in with a golden chance of securing their berth in the top four.

Following their loss to the White Ferns, India did not make life easy for themselves, although they beat Pakistan, as their net run rate wasn’t where it should have been. It was in the match against Sri Lanka where Team India came out firing with their NRR shooting up to +0.576. India recorded their biggest win in the history of the tournament with an 82-run win in Dubai.

But Australia are a different proposition altogether. Overall, India have won only seven out of 34 T20Is against the seven-time champions. In the T20 World Cups, the Women in Blue have a 2-4 record. But India can take heart from the fact that they beat Australia in the group stages in both the 2018 and 2020 editions of the mega event thanks to Smriti Mandhana’s 83 and Poonam Yadav’s four-wicket haul.

India, however, are yet to play a single game at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. But bearing in mind the slow and slow surface at the venue, India have the resources to take down Australia. They might be tempted to go in with an extra spinner, Radha Yadav, but leaving out any of their pacers, Arundhati Reddy and Renuka Singh, would not be easy as both are in stupendous form.

Australia reeling with injury concerns
Australia, on the other hand, are sitting on top of the table with a net run rate of +2.786 thanks to wins in all three of their matches. On Friday, the defending champions beat Pakistan by nine wickets in Dubai and are all but through to the semis. But the Aussies are dealing with injury concerns to their skipper Alyssa Healy and fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck.

Vlaeminck dislocated her shoulder while trying to stop a boundary at third man, after which she could not bowl a single delivery. Healy, meanwhile, hobbled off the park after sustaining a foot injury while trying to complete a second run. Australia head coach Shelly Nitschke said that Australia are waiting for them to recover before taking a call on their participation in the India clash.

“It’s just over the next 24 hours that will be assessed. But yeah, I think it’s pretty devastating, particularly for Tayla, who’s had a tough road back and playing in her first World Cup for a little while, so in first game for the tournament. So, the girls are pretty supportive in getting around both her and Alyssa at the moment,” Nitschke said in the pre-match press conference.

If Healy doesn’t play, Australia have Ellyse Perry, Phoebe Litchfield and Grace Harris are the options for opening the batting. Moving Litchfield and Perry would mean disturbing the balance of the middle-order and hence, Harris could be asked to open with Mooney.

In place of Vlaeminck, Australia could bring in leg-spinner Alana King, who has 21 wickets to her name from 22 games. Among others, they also have fast bowlers Kim Garth and Darcie Brown as replacement options for Vlaeminck.

India vs Australia Head-to-Head
India and Australia have faced each other 34 times in Women’s T20Is. Australia are leading their opponents 25-7. In the Women’s T20 World Cup, the record stands 4-2 in favour of Australia. In their previous meeting on January 9, 2024, Australia beat India by seven wickets.

India vs Australia Predicted XI

India

Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sajeevan Sajana, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Thakur Singh/Radha Yadav

Australia

Alyssa Healy/Grace Harris, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Wareham, Tahlia McGrath, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck/Alana King

India vs Australia Prediction
The team batting first should be able to win the game as India and Australia have bowlers, who are in form and have taken wickets at regular intervals thus far in the tournament.