MUMBAI: In modern sport, it arguably doesn’t get tougher than this. Australia are the team to beat in WODIs and have been it for a while. Since the start of the 2017 World Cup, their overall ODI record stands at an incredible 87 played, 78 won.
Australia have won three of the last five World Cups. Their team has incredible depth in every department. They are the team everyone wants to beat. They are the team everyone wants to be.
So, when one comes up against a team like this, what should the thought process be? Do you spend the night agonising about their might or do you just brush aside your worries and revel in the opportunity to bring down a giant?
India have won just one of their last 11 ODIs against Australia, but captain Harmanpreet Kaur will know that this is not a bridge too far. She will have fond memories of the last time they faced them in a World Cup semi-final in 2017.
Kaur struck a sparkling 171 not out from 115 balls, while Deepti Sharma chipped in with 3/59, as India won by 36 runs in Derby. How Navi Mumbai will hope for a repeat. But for that to happen, the hosts will need to focus on the cricket, and the cricket alone.
In pure statistical terms, India versus Australia is a mismatch. In 60 ODIs contested, Australia have won 49 and India 11; at the World Cups, Australia have won 11 of the 14 played.
But this, as India would like to tell you, is a new day. The past doesn’t matter, only the moment does. Going into Thursday’s blockbuster semi-final match at the DY Patil Stadium, the comforting factor for India is that it is better playing Australia in the semi-finals than in the final. The team in yellow knows how to raise their game in big matches and win trophies.
However, Harmanpreet’s team has played them enough in recent times to know exactly what is coming their way: Australia will attack. The only way to take them on is to meet fire with fire and to compete, the body language has to be strong. You take a step back and they’ll finish you.
Despite losing three games in the group stages, India still feel the most likely team to beat the world champions. They are the most recent team to beat them in an ODI (at New Chandigarh in the second match of the recent series) and they did that by bowling them out for 190.
The recent games have been close too. In the first game of the pre-World Cup series, India amassed 281/7, in the second they scored 292 and in the third 369. In their group-stage game on October 12 at Visakhapatnam, India scored 330.
The challenge against Alyssa Healy’s team, however, is you just don’t know how much is enough. Even the hosts’ 330-run effort proved at least 20 runs short as Australia skipper Alyssa Healy played a blinder (142 off 107 balls).
As the totals show, it has been a battle of batters whenever the two sides have met. And that is why, perhaps, the difference will be made by the bowlers.
SMRITI FACTOR
The Australian team’s discussion will be dominated by Smriti Mandhana. The left-handed opener holds the key for India in the knock-out tie.
Her overall record against Australia is superb with 996 runs (4 hundreds) in 20 matches at an average of 49.80. Her record when she plays in India is even better — an average of 63.77. She was the player of the series last month with 300 runs.
However, India had lost the league game despite her fine knock of 80 and Smriti will know that she will need to do even better.
The loss of in-form opener Pratika Rawal, who was ruled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury, makes India’s job tougher. Since her debut in December 2024, Pratika has formed a superb partnership with Smriti, the highlight being their match-winning 212-run partnership against New Zealand.
But India have the luxury, if they want to, of falling back on a tried and tested replacement.
ENTER SHAFALI
All eyes will be on how Shafali Verma fits into the opening role. The batter from Haryana last played in the 50-over format over a year ago and was not part of the World Cup squad. However, the explosive opening batter came back strongly in the T20I series in England earlier this year, finishing as the second-highest run-getter.
India’s think tank has some key decisions to make. Who will bat at No.3? Jemimah Rodrigues has staked a claim with a sizzling unbeaten 76 against New Zealand while Harleen Deol has been the preferred choice in the tournament.
Another dilemma is whether the hosts will go in with an extra batter. The last time India played against Australia, they paid the price for a poor bowling effort and, as such, it boils down to a choice between Harleen and allrounder Amanjot Kaur to have the cushion of a sixth bowler.
Australia have injury concerns (calf strain) over Healy while India’s concerns are over keeper-batter Richa Ghosh (finger). However, both are expected to be fit and available
To many, this is the game of the championship — the home favourite versus the most successful team.The stage is set and it will be interesting to see which side makes their dream come true.
