An unbeaten Australia take on a resurgent India in a high-voltage semifinal of the ICC Women’s World Cup at DY Patil Stadium on Thursday, with a spot in Sunday’s final at stake.
The winner will face South Africa, who booked their maiden final berth with a commanding 125-run victory over England in Guwahati.
Injury Clouds Over Both Camps
Both teams enter the clash with injury concerns. India suffered a major blow with opener Pratika Rawal ruled out due to a knee and ankle injury sustained against Bangladesh. Her replacement, Shafali Verma, makes a surprise return to the ODI setup after more than a year.
Semifinals aren’t new for me. I’ve played in similar situations before — I just need to stay calm and believe in myself. I’ll give it my 200%.
Her partnership with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana will be key at the top, while India weigh their bowling options between depth and balance. Renuka Singh Thakur leads the pace attack, with Radha Yadav, Sneh Rana, and Shree Charani contending for spin roles.
Healy Cleared to Play, Gardner the X-Factor
For Australia, skipper Alyssa Healy’s fitness has been the talking point. After missing two games with a calf strain, she passed a fitness test on Wednesday, batted freely in the nets, and is expected to return. If Healy resumes wicketkeeping duties, Beth Mooney may focus purely on batting, while Ashleigh Gardner continues to shine as Australia’s all-round powerhouse.
Ash has been unbelievable. She’s taken her game to another level — she’s a hard worker, and when she’s enjoying the contest, she’s unstoppable.
Australia might also recall Sophie Molineux to bolster their spin department depending on conditions.
Form, History and Weather in Focus
Australia enter the semifinal unbeaten, topping the table despite a rain-washed game, while India scraped through after a shaky group stage, winning three and losing three.
History, however, favours the Australians — they’ve won 49 of 60 ODIs against India and lead 10-3 in World Cup encounters, including victory in the 2005 final. Yet, India’s fans will remember *Harmanpreet Kaur’s iconic 171 in Derby (2017)**, which ended Australia’s campaign then.
Persistent rain in Mumbai threatens to disrupt proceedings again. The ICC has scheduled a reserve day (Friday) and added 120 minutes of extra time to ensure a result. If play remains impossible, Australia will progress as the higher-ranked team.
High Stakes, Familiar Pressure
Australia are chasing a record-extending eighth World Cup title, while India aim for their first final since 2017. With fitness and weather hanging over both camps, composure and adaptability could decide who joins South Africa in Sunday’s showdown.
Probable XIs: India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur. Australia: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt.
