• 9th over

  Gardner returns for her second over. Smriti comes down the track, makes some space, and lifts it over the mid off region but a fielder is there in the deep to restrict it to a single.

  Shafali swings for the hills and almost gets bowled.

  SIX! She’s been itching to score a big one for the a few balls and she unleashes a 74m-maximum, this time over the mid-wicket region.

• IND 54/0 (8)

  Another new bowler, and it’s Annabel Sutherland with her first over. And she bowls a wide to begin with. Sutherland varying the pace well so far in this over. Brilliant over for the Aussies, conceding just five runs with Sutherland using the slower ball well.

• IND 49/0 (7)

  Time for leg spin as Georgia Wareham comes in right after the PowerPlay. And Smriti threads the needle through the off side for a FOUR!

  Full toss but Smriti can only get a single from it.

  Shafali takes a single after a couple of dots. Just six off the over.

• IND 43/0 (6)

  Garth returns. Last over of the PowerPlay. Shafali tries to go through the mid off region again but smacks it straight to the fielder for a dot.

  FOUR! Smart batting there from Shafali, waiting for the ball and just glancing it past the short third fielder.

• IND 36/0 (5)

  Ellyse Perry brought in. Shafali tries to play it late past short third but there’s a fielder there. A wide and a dot to follow.

  Around the wicket to her RCB teammate Smriti. FOUR! Stays a little low but the batter swivels and pulls it through square leg for another boundary.

• IND 29/0 (4)

  Ashleigh Gardner brought in and Shafali says hello with a smack over mid off for a FOUR! A shot which has been quite frequent in this tournament, just lifting the ball over that infield, especially in the PowerPlay.

  Smriti plays her first ball against Gardner gingerly. Next ball, she comes down to send the ball past the mid off fielder and takes a single.

  SIX! First maximum of the innings and Shafali does exactly that shot again! This time, it clears the ropes over mid off for a 80m six.

• IND 16/0 (3)

  Hamilton continues. Meanwhile watching on from the balcony is the South African team. This match will decide which sides go ahead to the last four stage.

  FOUR! Smriti pulls well and the ball races through square leg. Very similar shot to what a certain Matthew Hayden was showing to Smriti when the two were having a chat a few days back. The tips have worked out?

  Final ball, some width and Smriti tries to cover drive but misses.

• IND 11/0 (2)

  Kim Garth with her first over. Keeper up to the stumps. FOUR! Smriti glances it towards mid-wicket region. Phoebe Litchfield is in pursuit but the ball races away for the side’s first boundary of the innings.

  FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries. Similar shot, this time more square of the wicket, down the hill.

• IND 3/0 (1)

  Shafali Verma, the ‘all-rounder’, and Smriti Mandhana out to bat first. Lucy Hamilton to open the bowling for the Aussies.

  First ball, at the stumps and Smriti blocks it with a straight bat. First runs on the board as Smriti takes a single after sending the ball behind square leg.

  Shafali with her first run after playing it late towards deep point. CLOSE! Smriti almost plays it onto the stumps through an inside edge, but she survives to retain strike with a single.

• Anthems time

  The fact that this match is a charged one can be felt through the screens too. As Mel Jones said at the toss, this does seem like a final.

• Can India find runs against frugal Australia?

  Australia’s leading wicket-taker in this tournament is Sophie Molineux, with just six wickets, and it has no representatives in the top 10 leading wicket-takers in the tournament.

  However, in Molineux, Georgia Wareham, and Lucy Hamilton, it has the three most economical bowlers in the competition, underlining the challenge India faces today.

• Will Ash Gardner bowl early?

  India’s openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma have been perhaps the most in-form batters in this line-up this tournament, and you’d imagine India’s success today will have much to do with them.

  Ash Gardner has a good record against both batters, making her an early options for the Aussies.

• How can India qualify for the semifinals?

  After South Africa’s victory, India now has to win its match against the Australians.

  Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. have a superior Net Run Rate (+2.268) as compared to the Proteas’ +0.633. A win against the Aussies will mean Australia and India advance to the semifinals.

  

  Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: How can India qualify for the semifinals?

  Here’s a look at all the semifinal qualification scenarios involving India, South Africa and Australia after the South Africa vs Bangladesh Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match.

• Australia playing XI

  Beth Mooney (wk), Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux (capt), Lucy Hamilton, Kim Garth

• India playing XI

  Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh, N Shree Charani.

• Toss: India wins the toss and opts to bat

  It’s crunch time, Harmanpreet Kaur and Sophie Molineux head to the middle. Up goes the coin, and it lands in favour of India, which will bat first! It’s an important game, we want set a total says Harmanpreet. Kranti Gaud comes in for Nandni Sharma. It’s a fresh day, and fresh mind for us. Feels like a home match.

  Sophie Molineux says Australia would have bowled first. Phoebe Litchfield is back in for Alana King. Really excited, she adds.

• Toss report

  There’s a bit of grass on this track, meaning that there could be some help for the seamers combined with the cloud cover.

  This is a used pitch, with South Africa and Bangladesh having just played 40 overs on this wicket, so it could dry out as the game progresses. 

• Smriti on Hayden's influence

  Once again, there are shots of Smriti Mandhana having a chat with Matthew Hayden ahead of the match. A bit of cross-rival mentorship there. Smriti has previously spoken about the inspiration Hayden has provided on her game, as our reporter P.K. Ajith Kumar writes here:

  

  From one southpaw to another: Smriti Mandhana aims to use Matthew Hayden’s batting tips to good effect

  Smriti Mandhana discusses using Matthew Hayden's batting tips as India prepares for a crucial World Cup match against Australia.

• The pressure is on

  The first game today is officially over, South Africa has edged over the line to a four-wicket win over Bangladesh. That means the equation is simple now for India; a win gets it through, a loss and it is out.

• Australia's results so far:

  Here are Australia’s results in this Women’s T20 World Cup:

  • Australia vs South Africa - Australia won by 65 runs
  • Australia vs Bangladesh - Australia won by nine wickets
  • Australia vs Netherlands - Australia won by 98 runs
  • Australia vs Pakistan - Australia won by 113 runs

  
  

• India's results so far:

  Here are India’s results in this Women’s T20 World Cup: 

  • India vs Pakistan - India wins by 64 runs
  • India vs Netherlands - India wins by 95 runs
  • India vs South Africa - South Africa wins by six wickets
  • India vs Bangladesh - India won by five wickets

• India Women vs Australia Women head-to-head in T20Is

  Matches played: 38

  India won: 9

  Australia won: 27

  No result: 1

  Tied: 1

• LIVE STREAMING INFO

  Which TV channel will broadcast the Australia vs India ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match?

  The Australia vs India ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network in India.

  How to watch the live streaming of the Australia vs India ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match?

  The Australia vs India ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match will be streamed live on JioHotstar in India.

• SQUADS

  Australia: Sophie Molineux (c), Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham India:

  India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh(w), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Bharti Fulmali

• Welcome!

  It’s another India match and *drumroll*, the Women in Blue find themselves in a familiar position -- a must-win match, and that too against the might of the Australians. And what better backdrop for this humongous clash than the storied ground at Lord’s.

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