Australia leg-spinner Alana King said her team is braced for the electric atmosphere. “You’re not just playing the XI on the field, you’re playing their whole nation,” she said. “If we stick to our processes with bat and ball, we’ll be in a good position.” Australia’s campaign wasn’t without scares — they slipped to 76-7 against Pakistan before staging a remarkable turnaround and also chased down India’s 330-run target earlier in the tournament. Skipper Alyssa Healy, who has 294 runs in four innings including two hundreds, is expected to return from a calf injury.
India’s journey has been turbulent, marked by three straight defeats before sneaking into the last four. Opener Smriti Mandhana tops the run charts with 365 runs, while Pratika Rawal’s injury has forced the inclusion of Shafali Verma. Former India captain Mithali Raj believes India can end Australia’s winning streak. “It’s a possibility to beat this side,” she said.
South Africa beat England in the first semifinal on Wednesday in Guwahati, with the final on Sunday.
