The stage is set at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai for a thrilling Women's World Cup semifinal clash between India and Australia. The atmosphere is electric as the host nation, India, faces the defending champions, Australia, in a high-stakes encounter. The winner of this match will advance to the final, while the loser will be eliminated.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. India made three changes to their playing XI, with Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, and Kranti Gaud replacing Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, and Uma Chetry. Australia made one change, with Sophie Molineux coming in for Georgia Wareham.
The match is scheduled to begin at 3:00 PM Indian Standard Time (IST). However, early forecasts had indicated a possibility of rain, with a yellow alert issued for heavy showers and thunderstorms in Mumbai until around 7 am IST. While there was a 55% chance of rain early in the day, conditions are expected to improve significantly by match time. AccuWeather reports only a 25 percent chance of rain and a minimal chance of thunderstorms during the match. To ensure a valid result, both teams need to bat for at least 20 overs. If this isn't possible today, play will resume on the reserve day. The semifinal can be extended by up to 120 minutes, compared to the 60 minutes allocated during the group stage.
Australia enters the semifinal as the favorites, having dominated the league stage with six wins and one washout. They are currently on a 15-match unbeaten run in ODI World Cups since 2017. However, India will be looking to use their home advantage and the support of the crowd to their benefit.
In their previous encounter in the group stage, Australia emerged victorious in a high-scoring match, chasing down a record total of 330 runs set by India. Alyssa Healy's scintillating century earned her the Player of the Match award. However, Healy's participation in today's match was initially uncertain due to a calf strain that caused her to miss Australia's last two group games.
India suffered a blow with the injury of in-form opener Pratika Rawal, who injured her ankle while fielding against Bangladesh. Shafali Verma has been drafted into the squad as Rawal's replacement.
Historically, Australia has a clear advantage in head-to-head records, with 49 wins in 60 games against India. In World Cup matches, Australia leads with an 11-3 record. However, as Alana King noted, the Australian team recognizes that in a semifinal, they are not just playing the eleven players on the field but the entire nation.
Despite Australia's dominance in recent years, India has had its moments of success. One such instance was in the 2017 World Cup semifinal, where Harmanpreet Kaur's remarkable innings of 171 led India to a 36-run victory.
The India Women vs Australia Women semifinal promises to be a captivating contest, with both teams vying for a spot in the World Cup final.
