Today, India will face the formidable Australian Women’s side in the semi-finals of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2023 in Cape Town. After a successful group stage, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian team will be looking to avenge their loss in the 2020 T20 World Cup final by defeating Australia. Despite the two teams have played 30 T20 Internationals so far, with Australia winning 22, India has won two of the last three matches played in the Women’s T20 World Cup. In 2018, India defeated Australia by 48 runs, and in 2020, India defeated Australia by 17 runs in the group stage before the final. With the stakes high, the Indian team will be hoping to make history and secure a place in the finals.
The first semi-final at Cape Town’s Newlands Stadium is sure to be an electrifying affair, as the pitch is renowned for its ability to accommodate both spinners and fast bowlers. The captain who wins the toss will likely opt to chase the score, as the batsmen can make the most of the pitch in the second half. Historically, the average first innings score here is 150, so the team batting first will be aiming to score above 170.
India has already played two matches at this tournament in Newlands Stadium. In their first match against Pakistan, they scored 151 runs, and in their second match against West Indies, they scored 119 runs while chasing the target. In the powerplays of their four group matches, India has scored 43/1 against Pakistan, 41/2 against West Indies, 40/1 against England, and 42/0 against Ireland. India will be looking to start strong against Australia and maximize their runs in the power play, hoping to make the most of the pitch’s favorable conditions and secure a place in the finals.