India’s women’s cricket team faces a crucial challenge as they gear up for the third and final T20 International against Australia, aiming for their first-ever series victory Down Under. Historically, while the Indian women’s team has secured a few wins, they have yet to claim a bilateral series win against Australia in any format.
To achieve this milestone, India will rely heavily on their star batswomen, notably openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. Both players showed promise in the second match but could not convert their starts into substantial scores, which severely impacted India’s chase of 164 runs. Australian bowlers Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland, and Sophie Molineux capitalized on this, dismissing five Indian batters for a mere seven runs, ultimately hindering India’s momentum.
The pitch at Adelaide is expected to be more conducive to batting than Canberra, offering Indian batters opportunities to settle and play their shots effectively. The outfield is also well-prepared, which should favour the likes of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh, who thrive on a solid batting surface.
On the bowling side, Indian pacers Renuka Singh, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud, and Amanjot Kaur will need to exhibit consistency and accuracy, as the Australian batswomen are known to capitalize on any bowling weaknesses. A significant focus will be on Georgia Voll, who has stepped up to open in place of stalwarts Meg Lanning and Alyssa Healy. At just 22, Voll has already made a noteworthy impact in the series, and her performance will be a key aspect for the Indian bowlers to address.
Additionally, the spinners, including Deepti Sharma and Sree Charani, must effectively limit the scoring of aggressive players like Sutherland, Ash Gardner, and Phoebe Litchfield, especially during the middle overs after an explosive Powerplay.
With meticulous preparation and a concerted team effort, the Indian women’s team stands on the precipice of achieving a historic series win in Australia, marking a significant milestone in their cricketing journey.