Key events
Key for both teams today will be the opening pair getting things off to a good start. None of the four openers in today’s game have racked up the kind of score they would have liked to have so far this tournament. They will be looking to create a strong platform rather than relying on relying on the middle order or the tail to save the day for them.
Just one change to the Australian team – as we suspected, Molineux has come into the XI for this match, with Wareham missing out. India meanwhile, are unchanged from their loss to South Africa, opting to back that team to turn things around and put on a match-winning performance.
India XI
1. Smriti Mandhana
2. Pratika Rawal
3. Harleen Deol
4. Harmanpreet Kaur (c)
5. Jemimah Rodrigues
6. Richa Ghosh (wk)
7. Deepti Sharma
8. Amanjot Kaur
9. Sneh Rana
10. Kranti Goud
11. Sree Charani
Australia XI
1. Alyssa Healy (c, wk)
2. Phoebe Litchfield
3. Ellyse Perry
4. Beth Mooney
5. Annabel Sutherland
6. Ash Gardner
7. Tahlia McGrath
8. Sophie Molineux
9. Alana King
10. Kim Garth
11. Megan Schutt
Australia won the toss and elected to bowl
Alyssa Healy was very quick to say they would bowl here, it was clearly a toss they really wanted to win. She cited the dewy conditions as the main reason for the decision.
A reminder that you can email me any thoughts on the game, predictions for the tournament, or particularly compelling conspiracy theories and I will do my best to share them with the OBO family following along around the world. You can find the link at the top of the page.
If you’re keen to catch up on Australia’s last game before this one begins, you can re-live Beth Mooney’s rescue mission here:
I’m hearing from the ground that it’s a beautiful, sunny day in Visakhapatnam, so no fears of a repeat of the Sri Lanka game for the Australians. Sophie Molineux has also been spotted warming up, so it looks like she will come into the match day squad. The toss is imminent, so we’ll have full team lists for you before too long!
Preamble
Megan Maurice
Hello and welcome to a huge game in this Cricket World Cup! The as-yet undefeated Australia against tournament hosts India – this has been a highly anticipated clash. While both teams probably should have sailed through fairly well unchallenged so far, it hasn’t been the smoothest start for either team.
While Australia haven’t yet lost a game, a washout against Sri Lanka has proved frustrating for their ladder position. They also suffered a fairly serious batting collapse against Pakistan and if it wasn’t for Beth Mooney – ably assisted by Alana King – they may have been dealt a huge upset defeat.
Meanwhile, India were defeated by South Africa on Thursday, bowled out in the final over for 251, took some early wickets to put themselves back in the game and then watched on in despair as as steady 70 from Laura Wolvaardt and a flamboyant 84 from Nadine de Klerk dragged South Africa over the line. It was a tough blow for India, who would have been expecting the win after seeing South Africa all out for 69 against England in their opening match.
So there is a sense of desperation in this match for both teams. Australia will want to put their batting woes behind them and do everything they can to claw back a position at the top of the ladder after their washout. And India will be pushing for a win to reassert their dominance in front of a home crowd.
Speaking of the crowd, it is apparently a sell out today at Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium, so expect some very vocal support when India scores runs or takes a wicket and the kind of silence you didn’t think possible from a crowd of people that large when Australia counters.
It’s sure to be a fascinating match, so let’s get into it!
#Womens #Cricket #World #Cup #Australia #India #live #Womens #Cricket #World #Cup
