England vs India, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020, 1st Semi-final, Sydney: Preview, likely XI, prediction

When India and England take each other on in Sydney on Thursday, there will be flashbacks from a little over a year ago. This is a rematch of the clash between these same sides in the same stage of the 2018 edition of this tournament, and on that occasion, India faltered, badly, in a campaign shrouded by controversy.

India had left out former captain Mithali Raj from the XI for the semi-final – the idea being Raj’s strike-rate was too slow for the format – but India then collapsed to 112 against England, needing precisely someone like Raj to hold things together in a nervous innings.

England went on to win by a comfortable eight wickets, and back home, the controversies deepened when coach Ramesh Powar and Raj went head to head in a public falling out. Powar eventually lost his job, in a sorry state of affairs. Lessons seem to have been learnt from that campaign.

This time around, India are a youthful bunch, under an enabling coach in WV Raman, and there’s been a zest about the side so far this campaign. Their victory over Australia in the group stage was a massive morale booster, and since then, the team has gone from strength to strength.

It isn’t to be denied that India’s batting has room for improvement. It remains top heavy, and till such a time that captain Harmanpreet Kaur can hit form, the middle order will be brittle – and that is likely to be England’s point of attack as well.

England have done well to put behind their opening loss to South Africa, and at this point, they’ll want to go one better than last year, when they fell short to Australia in the final. They are under a new coach themselves in Lisa Keightley, and optimism in both camps remain high. This will be a very interesting match, to say the least.

Head to head

There have been 19 matches played between these sides in this format. India have traditionally fared poorly, with just four wins in those matches, with England winning the remainder. However, if India can win in Sydney tomorrow, all will be forgotten.

Key players

Sophie Ecclestone (England): If India have Poonam, England have Sophie. She is the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament so far, and took a stunning 3/7 in England’s last outing against West Indies. If India can counter her left-arm spin, then they have a good chance of coming through this with smiles.

Poonam Yadav (India): India’s leg-spinner has been in stellar form this tournament, with nine wickets and is top of the wicket-takers charts. However, seven of those scalps came in the first two matches, against Australia and Bangladesh. She is due another big return, and her low deliveries can trouble England significantly.

Likely XIs

England: Danni Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver, Heather Knight (c), Fran Wilson, Amy Jones (wk), Katherine Brunt, Any Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn

India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Tanya Bhatia (wk), Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Prediction

India’s spinners to right the wrong of 2018 and secure a place in the final.