Women's T20 WC: India face injury-hit Australia in must-win clash
The Indian women's cricket team will face a huge challenge as they take on an injury-riddled Australian side in their last league game Women's T20 World Cup 2024. Although Australia have all but booked a semi-final spot with a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Pakistan, they are struggling with injuries to key players. This includes their captain Alyssa Healy and Tayla Vlaeminck, both of whom were injured during the match against Pakistan.
Pitch, weather report and streaming details
The Sharjah Cricket Stadium will host this game on October 13. The track here is slow in nature as batters have had a hard time operating here. Spinners will enjoy bowling in the middle overs. The impending India-Australia encounter, starting at 7:30pm IST, will be aired live on the Star Sports Network. Meanwhile, Hotstar will provide live-streaming.
Australia's performance and injury concerns
Australia's performance in the tournament has been nothing short of impressive, remaining undefeated till now. However, their recent victory over Pakistan was marred by injuries. Vlaeminck hurt her shoulder while fielding in the first over of the innings. Healy also had to retire hurt as Australia neared victory, raising questions about who will lead if she is unable to play in upcoming matches.
India's comeback and path to semi-finals
Team India has made a strong comeback in the tournament with an 82-run victory over Sri Lanka. The team's openers took calculated risks, and Harmanpreet Kaur played a crucial role in this win. Though both and NZ and India own two wins and a defeat apiece, the Women in Blue (+0.576) are way ahead in terms of net run rate. The Kiwis boast a NRR of +0.282.
Potential replacements and team strategies
If Vlaeminck is ruled out due to injury, Kim Garth could replace her in the lineup. With Healy's participation uncertain, Grace Harris could be her potential replacement, and Tahlia McGrath may lead Australia. Meanwhile, Team India isn't expected to make any changes to their playing XI that triumphed over Sri Lanka.
India vs Australia: A look at the head-to-head record
India and Australia have met 34 times in T20Is. Australia has won 25 matches while India has won seven(NR: 1, Tie: 1). In T20 World Cups, they have met six times with Australia winning four and India two. Despite the record, the 'Women in Blue' are determined to win and score more runs than before to avoid facing any threat from New Zealand.
Here are the probable XIs
Australia's probable XI: Alyssa Healy (c & wk)/Grace Harris, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Wareham, Tahlia McGrath, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Kim Garth. India's probable XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Sajeevan Sajana, Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana and Renuka Singh.
