Womens ODI World Cup | Australia problem awaits a wounded India

After a blitz from Nadine de Klerk stole a win from beneath India’s toes in opposition to South Africa on the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam a number of days in the past, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur sat quietly, processing the downward spiral.

It was a sport India’s famed batting line-up ought to have put to mattress earlier than the fielding effort started.

But the top-order, prefer it did in opposition to Sri Lanka (in Guwahati) and Pakistan (in Colombo), combusted meekly. There’s barely any turnaround time, with defending champion Australia calling right here on Sunday.

Centuries from Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney had saved the top-ranked aspect the blushes in opposition to New Zealand and Pakistan, proving the worth of getting 11 gamers who can bat. That mentioned, captain and opening bat Alyssa Healy doesn’t suppose the group will decide being conservative early on.

“The PowerPlay nonetheless performs an important function on this World Cup. It appears to be all through the center overs that some sides have been managing to squeeze oppositions, however I nonetheless suppose if you may get off to an excellent begin and set a platform, that’s going to be actually essential to placing an excellent whole on the market or chasing one thing down. There’s a little bit of a effective steadiness in that regard,” she defined.

India, too, has been propped up by middle-order rescue acts in each sport to date. Worryingly, its high 5 averages decrease (23.13) than SENA groups (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) — and therein lies the issue.

Australia’s versatile and efficient bowling assault may not permit a restoration if the highest 5 fail once more. An alarming variety of dot balls (127 balls vs Sri Lanka, 172 vs Pakistan, 184 vs South Africa) is one other concern for the Women in Blue.

It is likely to be value revisiting the group mixture forward of the essential fixture as India operates with solely 5 correct bowling choices. Harmanpreet got here in because the sixth within the sport in opposition to South Africa.

Against an Aussie arsenal that’s packed in each departments, India may need to herald reinforcements.