SYDNEY (Australia): India and England will face off in the first of Thursday’s semifinals after finishing top of Group A and second in Group B respectively at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
In previous ICC tournaments England have come out on top, beating India in both the 2017 50-over final and the 2018 World Cup semifinal, sbut this time their opponents are in inspired form as the only side to win all their group matches.
One of them has the tournament’s top wicket-taker and the other the top run-scorer — but who else could be crucial in deciding their side’s final fate?
Shafali Verma vs Anya Shrubsole
There’s no doubt England know who they need to remove early for their strongest chance of beating India on Thursday.
Teenager Shafali Verma has taken world cricket by storm in Australia for her fearless brand of batting has helped her become the top-ranked batter in the Women’s T20I Player Rankings.
The 16-year-old prodigy is India’s highest run-scorer in the competition with 161 and her team will be relying heavily on their opener for another good start.
Harmanpreet Kaur vs Sophie Ecclestone
While stopping Verma is the first task, the key for England will be preventing India’s batters from stepping up collectively.
A lack of firepower in the middle order is still a concern for India and that’s exactly where their opponents will need to target.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur is one to have underwhelmed thus far, hitting double figures in just one of their four group wins, and India will need their star players to step up now more than ever if they want to make it to Sunday’s final at the MCG.
Nat Sciver vs Poonam Yadav
Nat Sciver has been in the form of her life in Australia.
The 27-year-old all-rounder has had an outstanding tournament so far, scoring three half-centuries to top the run-scoring charts and steer England to the knockout stages.
Judging by her past record, she’s more than capable of taking that up to four against India.
Sciver scored a half-century against Thursday’s opponents in the 2018 semifinal in the West Indies to pip them to a spot in the final showdown.
But there’s a certain India bowler who has no problems with dismantling the greats.
Poonam Yadav finished as the highest wicket-taker of the pool stages with nine after ripping through Australia’s batting unit on the opening night of the tournament.
