Alive in the tournament by a touch of fortune, hosts India will search for a spark of magic reminiscent of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's legendary knock eight years ago as they take on mighty Australia in a blockbuster Women's World Cup semifinal in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.
Kaur's 115-ball 171 not out at Derby, England, in the 2017 semifinal against Australia was a seminal moment that catapulted women's cricket from the footnote to the headlines. A victory over the seven-time world champions would not only ignite India's campaign but also fuel belief that an elusive ICC crown is within reach. For a team that has flirted with inconsistency, Thursday's game offers India a chance to defeat one of sport's most dominant sides.
India's campaign has been as taxing as it can be for a World Cup host, especially when the team had its back pressed firmly against the wall following three consecutive defeats, from which they fought back to find a place in the semifinals. But then they lost a key batter in Pratika Rawal to injury. There is no room for error now as India are left in the ring with each of those opponents who had outmatched them in league meetings.
Before taking the field, India will face some pertinent questions regarding their team combination. The inclusion of big-hitting Shafali Verma, who was neither in India's plans nor among the six reserve players, adds more fuel to the fire. Her record with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana — 893 runs in 25 innings at 37.20 — looks inferior to Rawal and Mandhana's 1,799 runs in 23 innings at 78.21 as an opening pair.
India must decide whether to pick Shafali, whose aggressive style could put pressure on the opponents and match Mandhana’s rich form, or promote Harleen Deol in the opening slot to accommodate a sixth bowler. Harleen's 169 runs without a fifty in seven matches at 75.11 may not promise fireworks but her ability to stick to the crease provides solidity at the top and gives Mandhana a familiar cushion, similar to Rawal's role.
Despite forecasts of unseasonal rains, the pitch remains a batting haven and scoreboard pressure may not work as effectively on the chasing side. Additionally, India must decide whether to stick with left-arm spinner Radha Yadav, who was brilliant on the field and accurate in her bowling against Bangladesh, particularly when compared to Sneh Rana, who has given away 201 runs in the last three matches for one wicket.
Kaur, who has largely misfired with the bat, would certainly look to draw inspiration from her brutal assault on Australia eight years ago, as India need something special to overcome their toughest opponent. A lot hinges on Mandhana, who has played a lead role in India’s pursuit for their maiden World Cup title across formats with 365 runs at 60.83, including one century and two fifties, topping the batting charts with dominant performances in recent matches.
Australia, once again, have been the epitome of performance and perfection. There is hardly any other team that can match their skill set or doggedness, but it all comes down to performance on the day, and Australia knows a plucky India gives away nothing. When challenged, as against Pakistan or England, Australia has staged fightbacks reflecting deep resolve and talent in the dressing room. When not challenged, as against South Africa in Indore, Australia has not only fired the first shots but crushed the opponent completely.
On Tuesday, Alyssa Healy went through drills to prove her fitness after missing matches against England and South Africa, while Beth Mooney also trained, including wicketkeeping practice. Healy looks on track to make her comeback in the semifinal, as Australia wants their regular captain back in the middle. She has struck centuries in each of her last two outings against Bangladesh and India.
Phoebe Litchfield, unbeaten 84 against Bangladesh, has been in ordinary form but, as an exponent of the reverse-sweep shot, will look forward to the outing against India. Tahlia McGrath, who stood in for Healy in the last two matches, has only 43 runs from six outings. But in Ashleigh Gardner (265 runs including two tons, seven wickets), Annabel Sutherland (114 runs and 15 wickets), and Alana King (13 wickets and 55 runs), Australia has depth until No. 11 to stage comebacks that can influence outcomes.
Teams:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Harleen Deol, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav.
Australia: Alyssa Healy (c&wk), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney (wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Sophie Molineux, Annabel Sutherland, Darcie Brown, Megan Schutt, Georgia Wareham.
Match starts at 3:00 pm IST.
