India Women vs Australia Women | ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, 2025 | 2nd Semi-Final

'The bigger the stage, the brighter the stars shine' - and few stages get bigger than this! The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai is set for a blockbuster as India Women take on Australia Women in the second semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. Australia enters this clash as the only unbeaten side from the group stage, finishing comfortably at the top of the table with dominant performances across departments. India, meanwhile, squeezed into the final four in fourth place - flashes of brilliance mixed with inconsistency, as defeats against Australia, South Africa, and England showed their tendency to fade under pressure. The hosts, though, will be hurting from a massive blow as Pratika Rawal, who had been exceptional at the top with Smriti Mandhana and scored a sensational ton against New Zealand, has been ruled out with an ankle injury, paving the way for Shafali Verma’s return. The last time these two sides met, Australia chased down the biggest-ever total in Women’s ODI history, thanks to a breathtaking 142 from Alyssa Healy - a reminder of how ruthless their batting can be. Ashleigh Gardner’s two hundreds, Beth Mooney’s century, and the consistent brilliance of Ellyse Perry and Phoebe Litchfield make this lineup a nightmare for any attack. Add to that Annabel Sutherland’s all-round impact - she’s currently the joint-highest wicket-taker alongside Deepti Sharma, who has been India’s heartbeat in this campaign, bailing them out with both bat and ball when needed. Australia’s leg-spinner Alana King isn’t far behind either, boasting 13 wickets, including a stunning seven-for against South Africa. Historically, the two sides have met thrice in World Cup knockouts, with Australia leading 2-1 - though India Women will draw inspiration from their famous win in 2017. For the hosts, Smriti Mandhana’s elegance, who is also the leading run-scorer with 365 runs so far in the World Cup, Harmanpreet Kaur’s firepower, and Deepti’s all-round form will be key, while Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh will look to step up on the big stage. Australia, on the other hand, have depth written all over, with Healy’s experience, Gardner’s dominance, and Sutherland’s balance making them clear favorites. India’s biggest strength remains their spin trio of Deepti, Sneh Rana, and Sree Charani, and home advantage, but their batting inconsistency and fielding lapses continue to haunt them. Australia’s only real test could come if their top order falters early or their spinners are negated by India’s left-handers. Expect high drama under the lights in Navi Mumbai - a contest of nerves, flair, and legacy, as India look to rise to the occasion while Australia eye yet another shot at glory.