It all comes down to the second semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, where Australia Women (AUS W) will be battling against India Women (IND W) on Thursday, October 30 for a spot in the finals at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. In case the play is not possible on the scheduled day, the ICC Playing Conditions mention the availability of a Reserve Day on Friday.
For the Australian side, despite topping the points table, the biggest concern is whether skipper Alyssa Healy will be available to take the field in this all-important match. However, she showed positive signs of recovery during the training session on Tuesday, indicating that she may well have recovered. Healy will want to hit the ground with her ideal playing combination to be a contender for the vacant spot in the finals.
India, on the other hand, were the fourth and the last team to qualify for the semis, and have now welcomed Shafali Verma into the set-up following an ankle injury to opener Pratika Rawal, who is now unfortunately ruled out of the remainder of the tournament. Shafali will be opening alongside vice-captain and star batter Smriti Mandhana. While the batting unit looks settled for the moment, it will be interesting to see what sort of bowling combination does skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opt for on Thursday.
Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai Pitch Report
The venue at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai has become an iconic landmark for women’s cricket in the last couple of years or so. However, the ongoing World Cup marked the ODI debut for the ground. In three games played here so far, the one between India Women and Bangladesh Women was washed out due to rain, whereas, both the remaining ones were won by the teams batting first. However, there are chances of rain on the day of the second semi-final as well, and keeping this in mind, opting to chase could be beneficial for the team winning the toss.
IND W vs AUS W Head to Head Record in WODIs
| Matches Played | 60 |
| AUS Won | 49 |
| IND Won | 11 |
| Tied / No Result | 0 |
| First-ever fixture | January 8, 1978 (AUS-W Won) |
| Most-recent fixture | October 12, 2025 (AUS-W Won) |
IND W vs AUS W Predicted Playing XIs
Australia Women (AUS W): Alyssa Healy (captain and wicketkeeper), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt
India Women (IND W): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh Thakur, NS Shree Charani
IND W vs AUS W Probable Best Performers of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana and Alyssa Healy. (Photo source: BCCI)
Smriti Mandhana has been the batter in form for the Women in Blue in the global tournament. She is also the highest run-getter of the tournament, with 365 runs across seven innings, including a terrific century against New Zealand. If she gets going, it will be hard for the Australians to stop India from either putting up a huge total or chasing down any target comfortably. The Mumbai-born will be the key batter to watch out for in the upcoming contest.
Probable Best Bowler: Alana King
Alana King celebrates after taking a wicket against South Africa (Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
In a pace-dominated attack, Alana King shines like the brightest diamond in the Australia bowling unit. She recently accounted for the best figures ever in Women’s World Cup history with her seven-wicket haul against South Africa in Indore. Her flight and variations can trap the Indian batters, and taking a cautious approach during her 10-over spell is the best way to tackle her. The Indians are expected to enter the field with a special plan against King.
