Harmanpreet doubtful for T20 WC semifinal against Australia; pacer Vastrakar ruled out

Cape Town: India skipper and batting mainstay Harmanpreet Kaur is racing against time to recover from high fever ahead of team's T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia while all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has been ruled out of the crucial game because of upper respiratory tract infection.

Harmanpreet, Vastrakar and left-arm spinner Radha Yadav had visited a local hospital on Wednesday for a thorough check-up, according to team sources.

The medical team is currently monitoring the situation and there is no clarity whether the Indian skipper will be fit enough for a high-pressure match, starting in abut four hours.

Meanwhile, the Event Technical Committee of the tournament has approved Sneh Rana as a replacement for Vastrakar in the Indian squad.

Rana, who is a spin bowling all-rounder, has played 47 international matches including 24 T20Is.

Feb 23, 2023 5:46 PM

Team India will take on defending world champions Australia in the first semi-final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 on Thursday, February 23 and will look to book a berth in the final clash. The first semifinal is a repeat of the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup final. In that year, Australia defeated the Women in Blue by a massive 85 runs. The second semi-final of the tournament will pit hosts South Africa against England, which will be played on Friday (February 24).

Match preview

Team Australia is heading into the semi-finals with an all-win record, while India have lost just one match in the Group stage to Group 2 toppers England. India won their last clash against the Irish Women's team, via DLS method. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side won the match by 5 runs to move in to the sem final.

Australia topped Group A after winning all four of their games while India with six points were placed second in Group B.

Australia, five-time Women's T20 World Cup champions, will certainly be the favourites to win on Thursday. India will face a tough battle in the semi-final given how dominant the Aussies have been in matches against India over the years.

The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar will be the key to India's chances in the blockbuster semifinal. Smriti in particular will be the player to watch out for. She has been in scintillating form and is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament.

India and Australia clashed in the final of the T20 World Cup in 2020 where India lost the match by 85 runs in front of a record crowd at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Meanwhile, Australia defeated India to win the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. The indefatigable Aussies also denied India the opportunity to win their first ODI World Cup by defeating them by 98 runs in the 2005 final.

So far, India have played a total of 30 T20I matches against the Australians, in which they have lost 22 and won just 7, while one match ended without a result. India would be aiming to set the record straight against Meg Lanning's side, at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

Where to watch live streaming and telecast details

The semi-final between India and Australia will be live-streamed on the Disney+Hotstar app and website. The match will also be aired on the Star Sports Network in India.

Schedule and Venue

The semi-final between India and Australia will be played at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on February 23. The match will begin at 6.30 pm IST.

Feb 23, 2023 5:13 PM