As expected, India have made it to the semifinals of 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa. But to get their ticket to the final, scheduled on February 26, they must overcome the challenge in the form of mighty Australia in the first semi-final of the competition on Thursday (February 23). Australia, also the defending champions, head into the semi-finals as firm favourites, especially with a 3-2 upper hand over India in Women’s T20 World Cup matches. Moreover, Australia got the better of India in the 2020 T20 World Cup final and Commonwealth Games gold medal match last year.
Australia had also won a five-game T20I series in India 4-1, apart from a warm-up match victory earlier in the month. But they will be wary of India`s giant-killing instinct, a glimpse of which was seen when they secured a thrilling super-over victory in the second game of the series in front of 47,000 spectators at the DY Patil Stadium last year. Also, India is the only side to whom Australia have lost twice since 2021.
Coming back to the competition, though the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side won three of its four games (defeat came to England by 11 runs) to finish second in Group 2, they have been unable to click as a unit, with inconsistency in top-order and playing too many dot balls coming to the fore. For India, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh has stepped up to lead the charge as a finisher, having been dismissed once in four games, while scoring 122 runs at a strike rate of 140, and thriving in South African conditions, where she was a member of the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup winning team.
After missing the first game against Pakistan due to a finger injury, vice-captain and left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana has hit form with back-to-back fifties against England and Ireland while Jemimah Rodrigues has been great too. But India would want Shafali Verma and captain Harmanpreet Kaur to step up with the bat in the semi-final.
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Date & Time: February 23, 630pm IST onwards
Live Streaming and TV details: Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar website and app.
Wicketkeepers: Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy, Richa Ghosh
Batters: Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Meg Lanning
All-rounders: Elysse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Deepti Sharma
Bowlers: Renuka Singh, Megan Schutt
Captain: Alyssa Healy
Vice-captain: Smriti Mandhana
India Women: Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Richa Ghosh, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Australia Women: Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (C), Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Elysse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Alana King, Alyssa Healy, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown, G Wareham
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