India need to improve their game in Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 IndvsAus semi-finals
Cape Town. India, who have had a fluctuating performance in the Women’s T20 World Cup so far, will look to improve their game when they take on formidable Australia in the first semi-final here on Thursday. India have been among the top teams in the last five years but have failed to lift any major trophy as they entered the last four of yet another ICC tournament as expected. However, the Indian team has not done well against England and Australia in the past, especially in knockout matches.
Australia defeated India in the last T20 World Cup final and most recently won the gold medal match in Birmingham last year. Women’s cricket in India has been on a rapid upward trajectory after reaching the ODI World Cup final in 2017 and now the time has come for it to translate expectations into performance in a do-or-die contest on Thursday. Though the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side has won three of the last four matches in the group stage, none of its victories can be called convincing, not even the one against Ireland. The team’s only defeat came from England.
Looking at the way India have played in the tournament so far, one can only hope that somehow the team sort out all their problems before the big match, which includes top-order inconsistency and Richa Ghosh. Except for the inability of players to hit sixes. The team must also reduce the percentage of ‘dot’ balls. Opener Shafali Verma, who made her international debut three years ago and still a teenager, has failed to learn from her mistakes, which include her inability to rotate strike and her shortcomings against the short ball.
Skipper Harmanpreet herself is under a lot of pressure, she has not been able to play any useful innings in this World Cup so far. She is one of the few batsmen who can hit the ball a long distance but she has been inconsistent for too long. A defeat in a World Cup knockout match could end his captaincy tenure. Jemimah Rodrigues has done well in the tournament so far but more is expected of her to help the team. Star batsman Smriti Mandhana has been a consistent batsman and once again she will be key to the team against Australia. On the other hand, the Australian team led by Meg Lanning has reached the semi-finals after winning 22 consecutive matches in T20 matches and is famous for taking its game to the top level in big matches.
Australia have lost just two official matches in any format since losing a T20 match to New Zealand in March 2021 and both of these defeats have come against India. The Australian team won the series 4–1 in Mumbai in December. In the bowling department, pacer Renuka Thakur has been India’s best bowler in the tournament so far with seven wickets, including five for 15 against England. Deepti Sharma conceded a lot of runs in her one over against Ireland but she has been the most consistent bowler in the spin department.
Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gaikwad and Radha Yadav will have to bowl more accurately against strong Australia. Australian opener Beth Mooney is wary of the Indian challenge despite past results. “I am expecting a tough match, their team (India) has been improving very fast in the last few years and they have some match-winners in their line-up,” Mooney told reporters here on Tuesday. ,
Teams are as follows: India: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shefali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur Anjali Saravani, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gaikwad and Shikha Pandey. Australia: Meg Lanning (c), Alyssa Healy, D’Arcy Brown, Ashley Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham. The match will start at 6.30 pm Indian time.
