In the upcoming semifinal of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, Australia, a serial winner, will face India, a team known for its unpredictability. The match, set to take place at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams vie for a place in the final. Australia’s recent performance includes a decisive victory against South Africa, leading to speculation that they may have peaked in this tournament, which offers India a sliver of hope.
Harmanpreet Kaur and her team successfully defeated New Zealand, providing themselves another opportunity to end their trophy drought, with the upcoming match being a do-or-die scenario.
India had a lighter practice session on Wednesday with fewer players present, following an intense session on Tuesday. A required change for the upcoming Thursday match involves deciding who will open alongside Smriti Mandhana.
In a training session on Wednesday, Shafali Verma, replacing Pratika Rawal, and Amanjot Kaur, who previously opened against Bangladesh, practiced together. Verma focused on ground shots, starting her batting at 2:15 p.m. Her experience from domestic cricket and knockout matches is expected to benefit her if she plays on Thursday.
“I was playing domestic cricket and am confident going into the semifinals, having experienced many before. It’s about maintaining a clear mind and self-belief. I will stay calm and assure myself that I will perform well.”
Jemimah Rodrigues and Arundhati Reddy took turns batting in the nets, while Harleen Deol practiced with multi-coloured balls. It is uncertain if she will maintain her position in the playing XI for the upcoming match. India may benefit from Richa Ghosh’s return, who trained on Tuesday despite missing Wednesday’s session. Former England player Tash Farrant highlighted Ghosh’s unpredictability as a significant asset for the knockout game.
The speaker highlights the unpredictability of a player ranked seventh, noting her ability to significantly impact a game with quick scoring, referencing her past performance of nearly 90 in the tournament as a sign of her potential key role.
Australia is favored for Thursday’s semifinal, led by Alyssa Healy, who has missed the last two matches but trained ahead of the game. The team has been undefeated in the tournament, with standout performances from Ashleigh Gardener, Annabel Sutherland, and Alana King, the latter coming off a strong showing against South Africa.
Thursday’s match is expected to be unaffected by weather, initially sunny before becoming cloudy, with a reserve day available. The pitch is the same as used in the recent Sri Lanka versus Bangladesh match, and a higher score is anticipated from the team batting first due to a lack of grass on the surface.
India has reached the semifinals of the World Cup, but they have not yet showcased their best performance. On Thursday, the team led by Harmanpreet Kaur has the opportunity to deliver a strong game.