Former India selector Saba Karim acknowledged the strength of the Australian team ahead of the 2025 Women’s World Cup semi-final against India on Thursday, October 30 at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. However, he believes that Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. can give the defending champions a run for their money if the batters can play to the best of their ability. The former wicketkeeper opined that the Australian bowling line-up lacks sharpness.
India and Australia faced each other earlier in the tournament, with the Women in Blue scoring 330 in 48.5 overs. Although they had a commendable total on the board, Alyssa Healy played a captain’s knock to help her team chase down the target in 49 overs with three wickets to spare.
“They are a team that has created a big gap between them and the other teams, although when I am in the Australian dressing room, they will be worried about playing against India, and that too in a knockout match, the only team that threatens Australia a little bit,” the former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman responded after being asked about the semi-final on Star Sports.
“Our batting is so fantastic that if India brings their best game as a batting unit on the ground, there is a good chance that India can beat Australia. Australia has a lot of bowlers, but they lack sharpness, and only one team can take advantage of that, and that is India. The Australian team will definitely be worried about that,” he added.
India has experience of scoring runs on this wicket: Saba Karim
Karim said the Australian team will get worried if they fail to pick up wickets early against the home side.
“If India takes the lead in the first 10 or 15 overs, if a wicket doesn’t fall and India even scores close to 50 without loss in 10 overs, a platform will be created. Then the anxiety levels in Australia will increase even more. You have a lot of bowlers, you could keep rotating them, but the wicket is very conducive to batting,” he said.
Karim also said that India’s experience of playing in Navi Mumbai will stand them in good stead against the Aussies.
“India has experience of scoring runs on this wicket, what the style of run-getting should be and when to accelerate. You know the ground dimensions and you can improve your shot selection accordingly. So these will all be huge factors for India, and Australia will be concerned about that. India will have to work on that fear,” Saba noted.
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