T20 World Cup semifinal: From India’s record versus Australia to key players, a statistical preview

The first semi-final of the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will see Australia crossing swords with India. It is one of the most interesting rivalries in world cricket, with the all-dominant Aussies stumbling every now and then against the Indian team. The Australian team are the dominant force in the women’s game, currently holding all the major titles. India will know they can beat them on the day, but will need to be at their very best.

T20 World Cup semifinal: India must aim for perfection in huge test versus Meg Lanning’s Australia

Here’s a statistical preview for the match:

• The two sides have met on five previous occasions in the mega-event (AUS: 3, IND: 2) with their last encounter being in the final of the 2020 edition where Australia won by 85 runs.
  

Road to semifinals

• Australia qualified for the semi-final after four consecutive group stage victories. They also enter this game in high spirits on the back of a 4-1 away series victory over India in December. Australia have made it to the semis in all eight editions and they have lost a semi-final only once (2009).
• India, on the other hand, finished second in Group 2 behind England. This is the fourth time India have reached the semi-final stage of the mega-event. They have won two of the last three ICC Women’s T20 World Cup matches against Australia and will be keen to overpower the champions.
• Australia’s pace attack has taken the most wickets in the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (Wkts: 21, ER: 5.4, Avg: 12.8). Indian batters, on the other hand, have the best average and strike-rate against pace (Avg: 44.9, RR: 8.5, SR: 141.9). The encounter between Australian pacers and Indian top-order batters could prove to be match-defining.
• Alyssa Healy is the leading run-scorer for Australia in this edition (Runs: 146, Avg: 73, 50s: 2). Healy has remained unbeaten in the opening six overs (powerplay) on all three occasions and possesses an excellent strike-rate of 139.6 in this phase. She also has significant head-to-head records against India (Runs: 464, SR: 141.9) and will look to provide the needed impetus at the top.
• Smriti Mandhana is currently the second-highest run-getter in this edition (Runs: 149, Avg: 49.7, SR: 143.3). In her T20I career, Mandhana has been part of six victories over Australia where she has contributed heftily (Runs: 278, Avg: 55.6). The southpaw has been particularly destructive against pace (SR: 146.6, BPB: 4.2) and she will once again be key for India at the top of the order.
• Mandhana was the player of the match for India in the win against Australia at the 2018 World Cup when India topped the group.
• Megan Schutt is the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament so far (Wkts: 8, Avg: 9.8). In her entire career, Schutt has been highly impressive against right-handers (Wkts:100, Avg: 14.5) and her battle against Shafali Verma at the top and Richa Ghosh at the death will be fascinating to watch.
• Renuka Thakur has been the pick of the Indian bowlers in the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (Wkts: 7, SR: 5.5). With 64.5% of her T20I career wickets coming in the powerplay at an outstanding economy of 5.2, the right-arm pacer makes it very difficult to take on the swinging new ball. Thakur has dismissed Healy four times in a total of 33 deliveries in T20Is, and it will be enthralling to see if she follows suit or Healy triumphs this time, with both in peak form.

Upcoming milestones

• Smriti Mandhana needs 53 runs to become the third Indian to reach 500 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup runs. 
• Ellyse Perry (40) needs two wickets to become the leading wicket-taker in ICC Women’s T20 World Cups. 
• Beth Mooney needs 20 runs to complete 500 runs in ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.

Stats courtesy: Sportradar / ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2020 via Online Media Zone as well as ESPNCricinfo Statsguru