India set for blockbuster Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final against defending champions Australia
India secured the second spot in their Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 group to book the semi-final clash against the unbeaten Australia on Thursday, February 23.
If there is one team that has pushed the world number one team Australia, it is India. Australia have lost only two matches in the past two years and on both the occasions it was India.
The defending champions Australia are bidding for a hat-trick of titles and a record-extending sixth victory at the Women’s T20 World Cup, while India are still hunting for their first-ever women’s ICC trophy. History is in Australia’s favour as they overcame India to win the 2020 T20 World Cup and the historic Commonwealth Games 2022 gold medal.
Australia also won the T20I series against India 4-1 in December last year. India and Australia have played 30 T20Is, with Australia winning 22 matches, one ending in a tie and one producing no result. With so much history on Australia’s side, the Meg Lanning-led team will start as favourites in the semi-final against India.
But India wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh is confident that her side can overcome the Australian challenge. “We can beat Australia, it’s not that we can’t beat them – because we did it in the last series in India and we did it before as well. Yes, they are a strong team, but we can beat them!” Ghosh said in a press conference on the eve of the match.
“I think we will hope to set a target of 180 if we bat first and our batters click. If we bowl first, we will be looking to keep them to 140-150. Because their batting line-up is good. So, we will try that.”
Australia opener Beth Mooney is expecting a “huge contest” and admitted that her side does not take “anyone in that Indian team lightly”. “We’ve got to have really clear, clinical plans against them, whether it’s with the bat or the ball,” said Mooney. “We’re not expecting it to be easy by any means, whether it’s with a bat or the ball, but we certainly know the style of play they’ve come at us with in the past and they know ours pretty well, too.”
While Australia have a strong batting line-up and big-stage players in Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, India’s hope will rely heavily on its opener Smriti Mandhana, who is the highest run-scorer (149) for her side in the tournament. In bowling, Renuka Singh Thakur (7) is India’s leading wicket-taker, while Megan Schutt (8) spearheads Australia.