Women's T20 WC: When and where to watch AUS vs IND, know all details
London, June 27
Few group-stage fixtures carry the weight of India versus Australia, and Sunday's meeting at Lord's promises exactly that. With the Women's T20 World Cup knockout stage approaching, both teams have plenty riding on the outcome despite occupying contrasting positions in Group 1.
Australia have been virtually flawless throughout the tournament, collecting maximum points from four matches and establishing themselves as the benchmark once again. Their impressive net run rate means only an extraordinary sequence of results could prevent them from reaching the semi-finals, allowing them to approach the contest from a position of strength.
India's margin for error is considerably slimmer. Harmanpreet Kaur's team enters the final group game knowing victory would almost certainly secure progression, while defeat would leave qualification dependent on Bangladesh producing a surprise result against South Africa.
Although Australia remain favourites, recent history suggests India have every reason to believe. The memories of knocking Australia out of last year's Women's ODI World Cup and winning a bilateral T20I series on Australian soil have demonstrated that the gap between the two sides has narrowed significantly.
The individual battle could prove fascinating. Smriti Mandhana has anchored India's batting with 167 runs, while Shree Charani has emerged as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 12 dismissals. Australia, meanwhile, continue to thrive through collective contributions, with Ellyse Perry leading the run charts for her side and Sophie Molineux spearheading the bowling attack.
The long-term numbers still favour Australia, whose record includes five victories from six Women's T20 World Cup meetings with India, including triumphs in the 2020 final and the 2023 semi-final. Yet statistics alone will count for little once play begins at Lord's.
For India, this is more than a fight for a semi-final place. It is an opportunity to register another landmark victory over the world's top-ranked side at one of the sport's most iconic venues and head into the knockout phase with momentum firmly on their side.
When: Sunday, June 28, 7:00 PM IST
Where: Lord's Cricket Ground, London
Where to watch: The West Indies vs Ireland clash will be broadcast on Star Sports Network and live-streamed on JioStar.
Squads:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Shree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Nandni Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav
Australia: Sophie Molineux (c), Nicola Carey, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
— IANS
Reader Comments
Such a crucial match for India's semi-final hopes! I remember last year's ODI World Cup – that win over Australia was unforgettable. The gap has definitely narrowed, but we need consistency in middle overs. Deepti Sharma and Jemimah Rodrigues need to step up. Let's go girls! 💪
The article says India's net run rate is worse than Australia's but doesn't mention what happens if we lose and Bangladesh win. That scenario would be tough – we'd need a big win margin too. The selection panel should have given more chances to young bowlers like Radha Yadav in earlier matches.
I'm tired of these "gap has narrowed" statements every time we face Australia. Beating them in 2023 ODI World Cup was massive, but in T20s, they've dominated us in crunch games. Need a complete performance from our batters – Smriti and Harman need to score big. Fingers crossed! 🤞
Finally a proper analysis! I appreciate the detail on individual performances – Shree Charani with 12 wickets is outstanding. But why is Pooja Vastrakar not in the squad? Her experience in English conditions would have helped. Also, the article should have mentioned the head-to-head in T20Is more broadly. Still, let's back our team!
Excited for this match! The Lord's atmosphere will be electric. Hoping Richa Ghosh gets a good knock – she's been underutilised. Also, the streaming info says
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