ICC Women's World Cup 2020: India Vs Australia: (Photo Credit: Getty)
New Delhi:
Australia Women team, the defending champions of the Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup, is set to host the 2020 edition of this ICC event. Australia won the title in four previous occasions and will begin their assault for the fifth T20 World Cup trophy with a game against Team India. India Women could be the dark horse as their top four batters could bring surprises by putting huge total on the board. Team India will put all its might together to go one better as the Women in Blue have never made it beyond the last four in their six attempts so far. In 2018, the team managed to reach the semi-finals.
In this edition, the 10 participating teams have been split into two groups of five each. While Australia, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh form Group A, England, South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Thailand find themselves in Group B. A total of 20 matches will be played in the league stage with every team in a particular group clashing against the other four teams once each.
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Australian Team:
Australia - Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (vice-capt), Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Meg Lanning (capt), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham.
Indian Team:
Taniya Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Veda Krishnamurthy, Smriti Mandhana, Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav.
T20 World Cup history (Australia)
Australia have always been the favourite as the team has dominated the event. The four-times champions, and the current holders, have only once not reached the final - in the inaugural tournament in 2009. Between 2010 and 2014 they won a hat-trick of titles. It was in 2016, when West Indies stopped the winning streak.
T20 World Cup history (India)
India failed to go past the semi-finals stage in their three knockouts appearances (2009, 2010 and 2018) across the six editions so far. Their 2018 campaign, the team reached the semi-finals beating heavyweights New Zealand and eventual champions Australia. However, the journey ended with a loss against England.
India vs Australia, 1st T20: Live Streaming
One can watch India vs Australia 1st T20 live streaming on Hotstar in India.
TV Listing: Star Sports Network, Doordarshan
Live Streaming: Hotstar, Jio TV
Prediction:
The Australian Women team, with home advantage, will eye to lift its fifth world title. In this edition, the team will open their campaign against India. Australia have named a fearsome squad with the likes of Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney and Meg Lanning giving them some superb batting options. For team India, anything less than a runners-up finish would leave them licking their wounds.
The Women in Blue have all the potentials to give a tough fight, however it is likely that the hosts will be too good in this first game.
