Aus W vs Ind W match: In a much-anticipated Group A match, Australia won the toss and elected to bat against India. Alyssa Healy arrived crutching while Pooja Vastrakar passed a fitness test on her right thigh for which she was heavily strapped. It was hard not to remember India’s previous wins against Australia in T20 World Cups ahead of this marquee clash.
Australia elect to bat first in the all-important Group A clash against India in the Women's #T20WorldCup 🏏#INDvAUS #WhateverItTakes
— ICC (@ICC) October 13, 2024
Live Report ⬇https://t.co/k02otcQREz
This is a do-or-die game for India, who should win to fortify their claim for a playoff spot and improve their net run rate as well. Stand-in skipper Tahlia McGrath decided to bat first on a surface she thinks is better than the ones the team played on during the Sharjah leg earlier this month. England earlier today successfully chased down 113 runs in just ten overs on the same ground.
Australia misses Healy and Tayla Vlaeminck, who has been ruled out of the tournament altogether with a dislocated right shoulder, bringing two forced changes. Grace Harris comes back in, as she missed the last match against Pakistan while opening the batting with Beth Mooney and Darcie Brown replaces Vlaeminck.
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India has made two changes to the side that defeated Sri Lanka on Sunday. Vastrakar has been reinstated, replacing S Sajana, while left-arm spinner Radha Yadav comes in for legspinner S Asha, who injured herself during warm-ups.
The Indian chase will be led, for the first time, by someone batting at No. 3: Harmanpreet Kaur. It works much in India’s favor since it has already undergone a practice session in Sharjah before this game, which included an open nets session.
It is India’s first and the only match here in Sharjah in the tournament thus far; all their earlier matches were played in Dubai. Having lost to New Zealand in their first and then a very tardy run chase against Pakistan, India is currently second in the group behind Australia. The defending champions top the group comfortably ahead with three comprehensive wins under their belt, and with a net run rate of 2.786, they are almost through to the knockout stages.
Playing XI
India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), 4 Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh
Australia: Beth Mooney (wk), Grace Harris, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (C), Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown
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