The Indian women’s cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, is gearing up for a must-win match against defending champions Australia in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. This crucial encounter is set to take place on Sunday, with India battling for a semifinal spot in Group A, while Australia has already sealed their place in the knockout stage.


Semifinal Battle: India vs New Zealand


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India’s impressive 82-run victory over Sri Lanka earlier in the week has put them in second place with four points and a net run rate (NRR) of 0.576. However, New Zealand is hot on their heels with the same number of points but a lower NRR of 0.282. New Zealand's comprehensive eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday kept their hopes alive, meaning India's place in the semifinals is far from certain. New Zealand will face Pakistan on Monday, which gives them an advantage as they will know exactly what’s needed to secure their own semifinal spot.


India must win against Australia to control their destiny. A loss, however, would leave their fate in New Zealand’s hands, making Monday's game against Pakistan critical for India's qualification hopes.


Australia’s Dominance In Group A


Australia enters this match with an unblemished record, having won all three of their group-stage matches and topping Group A with six points and a staggering NRR of 2.786. They’ve already secured their spot in the semifinals, but their ruthless approach means they will likely push hard to maintain momentum heading into the knockout stages.


The defending champions will be without two key players, however. Skipper Alyssa Healy suffered an "acute injury to her right foot" in their win against Pakistan and is expected to miss the clash, while pacer Tayla Vlaeminck dislocated her shoulder. Despite these absences, Australia’s depth remains formidable, with Beth Mooney expected to don the wicketkeeper's gloves.


India vs Australia Women's T20 World Cup: Dream11 Prediction


Wicket Keepers – Beth Mooney 


Batsmen – Phoebe Litchfield, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur


All-rounders – Ellyse Perry, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris


Bowlers – Renuka Thakur Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Ashleigh Gardner


India vs Australia: Pitch Report


The pitch at Sharjah has largely favored spinners, especially during evening fixtures. In five night games, spinners have taken 45 wickets, while pace bowlers have only accounted for 22 dismissals. Teams batting first have won three of the five night matches, making it a critical decision at the toss. Only West Indies successfully chased in an evening game, defeating Bangladesh. Most teams opting to set a target have found success, with South Africa being the exception after failing to defend 124 against England.


IND W vs AUS W: Weather Report


Fans can look forward to clear skies on match day, with no chance of rain expected. It promises to be a perfect evening for cricket, with the weather unlikely to disrupt proceedings.


India vs Australia Women's T20 World Cup Squads


Australia: Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy (w/c), Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Wareham, Tahlia McGrath, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck, Darcie Brown, Alana King, Grace Harris, Kim Garth.


India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (w), Deepti Sharma, Sajeevan Sajana, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Thakur Singh, Yastika Bhatia, Dayalan Hemalatha, Radha Yadav, Pooja Vastrakar.