Tri-Nation T20 Series, Match 3, Australia Women vs India Women: Preview, predictions, likely XIs

Having lost their first match in the Tri-Nation T20 Series to England Women – albeit in Super Over – Australia Women now find themselves in an unfamiliar position, at the bottom of the table. However, a win against India Women in Match 3, at Canberra, may put them on top.

If anything, the margin of defeat flatters Australia: debutant Annabel Sutherland and Delissa Kimmince, batting at Nos. 8 and 10, pulled off a tie from a position where Australia needed 40 to win off the last 3 overs. With a 45-ball 65, Beth Mooney was the only one to go past 25 as Australia had set out to chase 157. The bowlers, led by Ellyse Perry (4-0-9-1), did a decent job before being pulverised by Heather Knight and Fran Wilson in the death overs.

The Indian top four got runs against England, but the issue with the middle order continues. There is little doubt that India do not have big hitters to go after everything towards the end. To add to their woes, all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar, who has been effective in this role, pulled a hamstring in the last match and will almost certainly be replaced by Arundhati Reddy.

Australia will take field as favourites: an Indian will be an upset.

Head to head

Australia hold an 11-4 lead here, though the record reads 2-2 on Australian soil.

Key players

Annabel Sutherland (Australia Women): All of 18, Sutherland impressed with bat on debut, that too under pressure. It is now time for her to demonstrate her second skill, as a top-quality seam bowler.

Rajeshwari Gayakwad (India Women): Rarely are finger-spinners – that too not regulars in white-ball cricket – entrusted to bowl the first over of a tournament on Australian soil, but Gayakwad rose magnificently to the challenge. Will this be India’s strategy?

Likely XIs

Australia Women: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Rachael Haynes, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Delissa Kimmince, Megan Schutt.

India Women: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.

Prediction

Australia to win comfortably.