February 21, 2020. That was the final time Australia misplaced a match on the ICC Ladies’s T20 World Cup. It was the opening match of their dwelling World Cup and Meg Lanning’s aspect have been dealing with India at Sydney Showground Stadium. A blistering cameo by Shafali Verma on the high of the order, adopted by a wily spell of sluggish leg spin bowling by Poonam Yadav made life troublesome for probably the most dominant aspect within the girls’s recreation. It was a end result that made Australia wobble a bit within the early phases of the match, however after all, the champion aspect that they’re, they reached the ultimate and dominated India in entrance of a file crowd at Melbourne Cricket Floor.
Since that blip, the win streak for Australia at this match is now as much as 14. If there have been hopes that the situations in UAE is perhaps a leveller for different groups to hassle the six-time champions, they’ve proven why they’re one of the best within the enterprise by adapting shortly and reeling off three huge wins in Group A.
And so it’s over to Harmanpreet Kaur’s India to finish the streak.
It’s not new territory for them. India ended Australia’s world file successful streak in ODIs. Their file in opposition to Australia in T20Is shouldn’t be the best, with simply 7 wins in 34 matches. Nevertheless, two of these wins got here within the group phases of the T20 World Cup (2018 and 2020). In 2023, they got here awfully near beating Australia within the semifinal. In January this yr, they handed Australia considered one of their heaviest defeats with a thumping 9-wicket win at DY Patil stadium, with Titas Sadhu shining with a four-fer adopted by Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s 137 opening wicket stand.
On Sunday in Sharjah, they’d must take some type of inspiration from these moments as a result of nothing however a win would do. And actually, they’d have to win huge as properly to face a practical likelihood of reaching the semifinals.
India discover themselves in a pickle due to their bizarre begin to the match. A defeat in opposition to New Zealand wasn’t simply morale-crushing however made a heavy dent to their Web Run Charge. The win in opposition to Pakistan was a crawl to the end line that might nonetheless come again to hang-out them. It was solely in opposition to Sri Lanka that they managed to click on collectively in all three departments.
After these three matches in Dubai, India not solely must discover a method to cease the Aussie juggernaut however accomplish that at a venue the place they haven’t but performed whereas their opponents have already performed twice. However Australia have some issues of their very own. Throughout their thrashing of Pakistan in Dubai, captain Alyssa Healy limped off in the course of the run-chase, after sustaining an acute proper foot damage whereas operating between wickets.
Australia’s coach Shelley Nitschke didn’t reveal an excessive amount of by way of her staff’s backup plans or whether or not Healy will probably be obtainable, however the motive they’re so dominant is due to their depth. Pattern this: the World No 2 T20I batter Tahlia McGrath – who will step up because the captain if Healy misses out – got here into bat at No 8 in opposition to New Zealand. They’ve the explosive Grace Harris to probably open the batting and the World No 1 batter at present in Beth Mooney who’s greater than succesful with the gloves too. Correct riches.
However Australia are properly conscious of the menace India pose as Nitschke warned. “I believe they’re going to come back fairly arduous at us like they do, that’s their type of play. We’re definitely going to must be actually tight, significantly within the energy play with the ball … we all know how good a staff they’re,” the coach stated.
It doesn’t assist Harmanpreet’s aspect that New Zealand moderately comfortably brushed apart Sri Lanka on Saturday, and stay in a greater place to qualify as a result of they tackle a deflated Pakistan aspect on Monday. Even when India do beat Australia, Sophie Devine’s aspect will know their equations clearly.
For India, the bowling unit merely can not afford to calm down as a result of the Aussie batting lineup can really feel unending at occasions. With the bat, Shafali and Smriti should as soon as once more present a platform. Harmanpreet was sensational in opposition to Sri Lanka however she might want to step it up a notch in opposition to her favorite opponents.
The Indian captain, throughout a subdued press convention, stated they’ll’t do a lot about what occurs between New Zealand and Pakistan, so the secret is to remain within the current and see how they’ll beat Australia. Simpler stated than executed, but when anybody can certainly bother the Aussies on the huge stage, it’s this Indian aspect.
