Unbeaten records on the line as Australia face England in a game where there is plenty to play for in Indore.
Unbeaten Australia, England look to preserve their record.
England and Australia. Two dominant women’s cricket teams. Two sides that are skilled at driving opponents back to the wall. Only one of them will be unbeaten at the Women’s World Cup 2025 after their match on Wednesday at Holkar Stadium. Both teams have already guaranteed their places in the semi-finals.
Australia has a clear advantage on paper. However, there are two reasons why England would be quietly confident going into this match. One, only a few days ago, they performed in Indore. Secondly, Australia will return after a six-day hiatus.
Australia spent the two days before the match training. The top order, or Alyssa Healy, showed off their skills in their last two games. Healy is out due to a small calf strain she sustained during Australia’s Saturday morning fitness practice, despite having struck back-to-back hundreds. Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, and Beth Mooney, their senior pros, have performed well in various games.
The only player who hasn’t scored yet is Tahlia McGrath, who has amassed 43 runs in three innings; however, captaincy might be the cure for her. She thrives on accountability, and now that she is not burdened by concerns about qualifying, she might join the celebration in batting-friendly conditions. Their bowling shows little worry.
which might cause England to reconsider their tactics. Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight, and Amy Jones have all had at least one successful batting innings. However, none of the others have yet to step up.
The lower-middle order in England has been problematic: At this World Cup, teams ranked 5–7 have the lowest average of any team, at 9.25. England failed to win a single game in the multi-format Women’s Ashes at the beginning of the year, losing 16-0. However, their leadership has changed since then, and they intend to learn from that incident.
They have benefited greatly from Sciver-Brunt’s leadership and Charlotte Edwards’ strategies. Their thrilling victory over India would only serve to increase their confidence. They may not give much thought to the fact that they have lost all five of their encounters with Australia in India.
Even though teams frequently insist that “the past doesn’t matter,” Sciver-Brunt would like to make amends for Australia’s valiant efforts at the 2022 World Cup final. On Wednesday, one of the teams will experience defeat for the first time at this World Cup, which will be a minor step.