‘Cracking semi’: Aussies face World Cup nemesis

If it wasn’t for a tie with India final November, Australia can be carrying a 22-match T20 successful streak into Friday morning’s T20 World Cup semi-final.

That tie, in a brilliant over no much less, final December was the one match Australia didn’t win in 2022 and the one non-victory for the reason that defending World Cup champ’s final defeat in March 2021.

India have been nearer to beating Australia than another group in that point, and that five-match collection late final yr looms giant within the minds of the gamers forward of a semi-final showdown between the 2 groups.

The bulk of current publicity to one another offers Australia confidence in planning for his or her push to make the ultimate once more and a three-peat of World Cup wins.

“It’s probably a good thing if we come up against India because we played them not that long ago,” Australian seamer Megan Schutt mentioned.

“I feel like both teams know each other inside out and have had some really good competition recently.

“It will be a cracking semi.”

India defeated Australia within the opening match of the 2020 World Cup earlier than the Aussies rallied to take out the match, once more towards the Indians, on the MCG.

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur additionally instructed current publicity in that five-match collection helped them determine the right way to beat the Australians.

“I think that series gave us a lot of confidence, you know, the brand of cricket we played in that particular series was something which gave us a lot of confidence,” she mentioned.

“And now we know them very well. We played five games back-to-back and then one practice game, we know, their strength, their weakness, we know what we have to do.”

Schutt has starred on the low, gradual decks of the World Cup in South Africa, her eight wickets in Australia’s 4 successful pool matches essentially the most for her group, and the match, averaging underneath 10 per wicket too.

But the South Australian mentioned she was “not 100 per cent sold that they’re coming out good”, placing a premium on extra work forward of the semi-final because the groups transfer to the Newlands floor at Cape Town.

“But I feel like my second overs are coming out well,” she mentioned.

“Some days it has been swinging, it‘s been a little bit inconsistent, which is kind of a struggle, you don’t know really where to start the ball.

“The conditions have been a little bit different, the pitches have been not as favourable as I’d thought they’d be, but at the same time, there’s been a little bit of juice for some change-ups, which has been good.”

Alyssa Healy is ready to return for the semi-final after lacking Australia’s win over South Africa with quad soreness.

Source: www.news.com.au