February 21, 2020. That was the last time Australia lost a match at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. It was the opening match of their home World Cup and Meg Lanning’s side were facing India at Sydney Showground Stadium. A blistering cameo by Shafali Verma at the top of the order, followed by a wily spell of slow leg spin bowling by Poonam Yadav made life difficult for the most dominant side in the women’s game. It was a result that made Australia wobble a bit in the early stages of the tournament, but of course, the champion side that they are, they reached the final and dominated India in front of a record crowd at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Since that blip, the win streak for Australia at this tournament is now up to 14. If there were hopes that the conditions in UAE might be a leveller for other teams to trouble the six-time champions, they have shown why they are the best in the business by adapting quickly and reeling off three big wins in Group A.
And so it is over to Harmanpreet Kaur’s India to end the streak.
It is not new territory for them. India ended Australia’s world record winning streak in ODIs. Their record against Australia in T20Is is not the greatest, with just 7 wins in 34 matches. However, two of those wins came in the group stages of the T20 World Cup (2018 and 2020). In 2023, they came awfully close to beating Australia in the semifinal. In January this year, they handed Australia one of their heaviest defeats with a thumping 9-wicket win at DY Patil stadium, with Titas Sadhu shining with a four-fer followed by Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s 137 opening wicket stand.
On Sunday in Sharjah, they’d have to take some sort of inspiration from these moments because nothing but a win would do. And in fact, they’d need to win big as well to stand a realistic chance of reaching the semifinals.
India find themselves in a pickle because of their ordinary start to the tournament. A defeat against New Zealand wasn’t just morale-crushing but made a heavy dent to their Net Run Rate. The win against Pakistan was a crawl to the finish line that could still come back to haunt them. It was only against Sri Lanka that they managed to click together in all three departments.
On Sunday in Sharjah, against a team they’ve only beaten seven times over 34 T20Is, India will need to find some inspiration because nothing but a win would do. (PTI Photo)
After those three matches in Dubai, India not only have to find a way to stop the Aussie juggernaut but do so at a venue where they haven’t yet played whereas their opponents have already played twice. But Australia have some concerns of their own. During their thrashing of Pakistan in Dubai, captain Alyssa Healy limped off during the run-chase, after sustaining an acute right foot injury while running between wickets.
Australia’s coach Shelley Nitschke didn’t reveal too much in terms of her team’s backup plans or whether Healy will be available, but the reason they are so dominant is because of their depth. Sample this: the World No 2 T20I batter Tahlia McGrath – who will step up as the captain if Healy misses out – came into bat at No 8 against New Zealand. They have the explosive Grace Harris to potentially open the batting and the World No 1 batter currently in Beth Mooney who is more than capable with the gloves too. Proper riches.
But Australia are well aware of the threat India pose as Nitschke warned. “I think they’re going to come pretty hard at us like they do, that’s their style of play. We’re certainly going to have to be really tight, particularly in the power play with the ball … we know how good a team they are,” the coach said.
It doesn’t help Harmanpreet’s side that New Zealand rather comfortably brushed aside Sri Lanka on Saturday, and remain in a better position to qualify because they take on a deflated Pakistan side on Monday. Even if India do beat Australia, Sophie Devine’s side will know their equations clearly.
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For India, the bowling unit simply cannot afford to relax because the Aussie batting lineup can feel never-ending at times. With the bat, Shafali and Smriti must once again provide a platform. Harmanpreet was sensational against Sri Lanka but she will need to step it up a notch against her favourite opponents.
The Indian captain, during a subdued press conference, said they can’t do much about what happens between New Zealand and Pakistan, so the key is to stay in the present and see how they can beat Australia. Easier said than done, but if anyone can indeed trouble the Aussies at the big stage, it is this Indian side.
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