IND-W vs AUS-W 2nd Semifinal, Women's World Cup Live Update : Australia opt to bat; Shafali Verma returns in playing XI

IND-W vs AUS-W 2nd Semifinal, Women's World Cup Live Update : Australia opt to bat; Shafali Verma returns in playing XI

NEW DELHI : Australia captain Alyssa Healy marked her return to the XI for the all-important semi-final of the Women's World Cup, while India made three significant changes, bringing back Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma and Kranti Goud for the knockout clash at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Australia won the toss and opted to bat first on an overcast afternoon. Healy's comeback bolstered the Australian line-up, as she replaced Phoebe Litchfield and took back the captaincy duties. The only other change for the defending champions saw Sophie Molineux come in for Georgia Wareham, a rotation that has been used several times throughout the tournament.

India, on the other hand, made a few enforced changes. Shafali Verma returned to the side in place of the injured Pratika Rawal, while Richa Ghosh and Kranti Goud were also brought back, with Harleen Deol and Uma missing out. The balance of the XI looked more stable, with six proper bowling options plus the part-time spin of Shafali. Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav retained her spot after an impressive outing against Bangladesh, which meant that all-rounder Sneh Rana continued to miss out.

"We were thinking to bat first as well, but it's a great opportunity for us to get early breakthroughs since it's overcast," India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said at the toss. "We know these conditions really well. My mind definitely goes back to 2017 - that day we played fearless cricket. Whenever we play against Australia, we always talk about being fearless and enjoying ourselves. Today it'll be the same mindset - to go out there with a fearless approach."

Healy, who last featured earlier in the group stage before missing matches due to a niggle, said the team was aware of the stakes. "We have a lot of confidence, but it's a semi-final - a knockout fixture - and whoever plays better on the day will get the result. We're fully aware of that," she said. "It's our opportunity to show up, put a good performance out there, and hopefully be on the right side of the numbers."

Australia enter the semi-final on the back of a record 15-match winning streak in Women's ODI World Cups. Their last defeat in the tournament came against India in the 2017 semi-final - a game where Harmanpreet Kaur's unforgettable 171* stunned the world. Interestingly, India also ended Australia's record 26-match ODI winning streak in 2021 at Mackay, and their only loss in the last 21 completed ODIs came against India last month - a 102-run drubbing, their heaviest in the format.

India Women Playing XI: Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Kranti Goud, Nallapureddy Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur

Australia Women Playing XI: Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Kim Garth, Alana King, Megan Schutt