Bristol: Their four-match unbeaten streak brought to a halt, India will be keen to bounce back and take a step towards securing a semifinal spot when they take on the mighty Australia in a game of the ICC Women’s World Cup, here Wednesday.
India were on a rampaging run beating England, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka before South Africa disturbed their momentum with a massive 115-run win.
Similarly Australia’s four-match unbeaten run was stopped by England in the previous game and they would also look to get back to winning ways.
For both teams, victory in this game is of utmost importance as then it would more or less ensure a place in the semifinals.
Neither of the teams have yet qualified for the semifinals but Australia are in a better position by virtue of a strong net run-rate. The Aussies lost to England by just three runs, while India were defeated by a huge margin.
Statistically speaking, the Aussie women have always held the advantage against India. India have only managed to the beat Australia eight times in 41 outings.
The last match witnessed an abject batting surrender by India. They can’t afford to do the same against Australia. A loss here would seriously affect their semifinal chances, because in the last game they face New Zealand, who have also looked very good in the current edition of the event.
“We will go out there and play with an open mind,” said Mithali here Tuesday. “We know, Australia are a tough side… but then to win tournaments, you have to overcome strong teams. The girls are ready to express themselves.”
India will definitely want batswoman Smriti Mandhana to recapture the form she showed in the first two games when she got scores of 90 and 106. However, since then the runs have dried up. Another vital cog in India’s scheme of things is all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur, who plays in the women’s Big Bash in Australia. So her experience will come in handy.
Mithali, however, played down individual aspects. “We need to come good as a team,” she asserted.
