Australia are the only unbeaten team in the 2025 Women's World Cup ahead of the semi-finals, and are odds on to defend their title to claim the trophy for the eighth time.
The gulf in class between Australia and the rest has shown as big as ever throughout the round-robin stage, despite a couple of minor wobbles. On each occasion they've briefly been breached, they've shown the depth they have with the bat, and class with the ball, vanquishing all in front of them in the end by comfortable margins.
So far, no single side has been able to go toe-to-toe with them over the course of 100 overs. But, could a combined XI of players from all teams at this tournament fare any better? We've compiled an XI for you to make your mind up as to whether they would come out on top against the best side in the world.
Smriti Mandhana
In the form of her life, Mandhana has broken a host of ODI batting records this year, including becoming the first woman to score 1,000 runs in a calendar year, and has five centuries in the last 10 months. She scored 80 against Australia in Visakhapatnam, following on from her two centuries against them in the bilateral series which preceded the tournament. With her average against the World No.1 side just shy of 50, only Nat Sciver-Brunt averages more against them.
Laura Wolvaardt
Taking the second opener spot is South Africa's unflappable captain. Since the beginning of 2023, only Mandhana averages more among ODI openers, and her imperious presence at the top of the order brings the ability to control an innings from start to finish. South Africa were routed for 97 by Australia at the end of the group stage, with Wolvaardt scoring almost a third of their total runs, taking on Megan Schutt in the powerplay.
Sophie Devine
New Zealand's veteran captain may be retiring from ODIs at the end of the tournament, but she's gone out still at the top of her game. She began the tournament with a defiant lone effort hundred against the defending champions, scoring 112 out of the White Ferns' 237. While it's not been enough New Zealand during the tournament, Devine is a lock at No.3 in this team.
Nat Sciver-Brunt
No one averages more against Australia in ODI history than Nat Sciver-Brunt. Two of her four centuries against them came in the 2022 World Cup, both unbeaten efforts with her 148* in the final the only score of England's innings which exceeded 30. Her best, however, was saved for the 2023 Ashes, where she brought England to within a whisker of pulling off an all-time great comeback in Southampton, but did manage to secure a drawn series with another century in Taunton two days later.
Marizanne Kapp
South Africa's talismanic all-rounder is another lock. Not only does she average 43 with the bat in ODIs against Australia, but she's also been effective with the ball over the last year in particular. She took figures of 3-12 in South Africa's win in Sydney last year, in a game in which she also scored 75. Very few combined XIs would be complete without Kapp, especially a team to take on the best of the best.
Deepti Sharma
In at six, and already the fourth all-rounder in the side, Deepti Sharma is essential with both bat and ball. Australia's batting depth requires any side who play them to be capable of scoring big with the bat, given how difficult limiting their scoring is. Sharma's versatility down the order brings exactly that. Before the World Cup, she smashed 72 off 58 balls against Australia, coming in at No.5 with India chasing 413. While they didn't get over the line, she was the reason India stayed in with a shout of pulling off a remarkable chase for so long. She's also taken six wickets in her last three outings against Australia.
Richa Ghosh
Ghosh has been the standout keeper-bat in this World Cup, and her 94 against South Africa is so far her standout contribution. India were 106-6 when she came to the crease, and by the time she was out they had 251 on the board. It was the highest score by a No.8 batter in a women's ODI, and it put India in the driving seat before Nadine de Klerk flipped the script. Arguably, the standout innings of Ghosh's ODI career to date came against Australia, when she scored 96 in a thriller at the Wankhede in 2023. Chasing 258, she put India in the driving seat before a lower-order collapse saw them fall short of a rare victory by just three runs.
Nadine de Klerk
De Klerk coming in at eight is the kind of depth required for the mission assigned to this team. Twice in this tournament she's dragged South Africa over the line at the last minute. After her magnificent innings against India, she pulled off an even madder finish against Bangladesh, hitting a four and a six in the last over to secure the win. While her performances against Australia don't quite stack up alongside those above her in this XI, and more so with the ball, there are few better in a clutch situation.
Sophie Ecclestone
The world No.1 bowler leads the spin attack. Australia is the only opposition against which her exceptional record is challengeable, with 22 wickets from 17 matches at 34.95 in her career so far. She took 4-35 in the second Ashes ODI earlier this year, and got the crucial wicket of Beth Mooney as England made early inroads in their group stage game in Indore. What she offers at every point of the innings as a strike bowler makes her a must in this side.
Nonkululeko Mlaba
Nonkululeko Mlaba edges out a competitive field for Ecclestone and Sharma's partner. She's taken 11 wickets at 18.9 so far in this World Cup, including a four-for against New Zealand. She has too small a sample size to judge conclusively against Australia so far, but her habit of getting big wickets straight out of the powerplay stands her up. Other competitors for her spot include the England duo of Charlie Dean and Lindsey Smith, as well as Shree Charani and Sadia Iqbal.
Lauren Bell
Rounding out the XI is Lauren Bell. Her big booming inswingers have been lethal ever since she burst onto the international scene in 2022, the ball she did Phoebe Litchfield with in England's group game against Australia a prime example. She makes up a mouthwatering new-ball pairing with Kapp, and is one of eight bowling options and five pacers in this side.
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
