Women's T20 World Cup: Can India crack the Australia code?

Harmanpreet's team will have to overcome patchy form and formidable opposition to make the finalIn less than three weeks, Smriti Mandhana will captain Australian duo Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt at the Royal Challengers Bangalore, while Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham will be Harleen Deol's teammates at Gujarat Giants. Likewise, Meg Lanning will join forces with Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma and Shikha Pandey at Delhi Capitals.But on Thursday, players from the two countries will be on either side of the battle line in the big-ticket semifinal of the T20 Women's World Cup in Cape Town.

The India-Australia combination is a heady mix in the Women's Premier League, with 14 players coming in from Down Under. It is also a reflection of their popularity, brand of cricket and the value they add to the sport. The rivalry between them has generated a lot of interest. A case in point is the packed stadiums in Mumbai during Lanning and her team's tour of India in December last year. There is never a dull moment when the two teams meet and it is going to be no different in Newlands. For India, the Australians have been like an Isis Adventure - one of the hardest puzzles in the world.

In 30 T20Is, Australia enjoy a 22:7 win-loss record against India, with one match being abandoned. This is a repeat of the 2020 edition of the tournament and India will go all out to ensure the results are different this time, after enduring a crushing 85-run loss in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground three years ago.The teams have taken contrasting routes to the last four. Australia, the defending champions, maintained an all-win record en route to topping Group I, while India, who finished second in