India would need to put up at least 180 on board to challenge the depth of Australian batting line-up in the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final, feels star keeper-batter Richa Ghosh. Although India lost the five-match series 1-4 in December, the scoreline did not do justice to how hard the ‘Women in Blue’ pushed the world’s top-ranked team across the five games. And once again Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. are aiming to do the same.
“Australia is comfortable chasing because they bat deep, we do too, but toss is not in anyone’s hand. So whatever the situation, we will have to go through with it. We have plans,” Ghosh, India’s best finisher by a distance, said on the eve of the semi-finals against Southern Stars.
“We don’t know how the pitch will behave tomorrow but it looks nice. We can target 180 on this if all our batters click and while bowling we will try to restrict them to 140-150 because they have a good batting line up,” Ghosh said.
In Ghosh, India has unearthed a much-needed finisher and the youngster hasn’t disappointed. Talking about her game, she said: “There are ups and downs always, even I had them but have learnt a lot from there,how you can handle a situation. When I go to bat, my handling of pressure has improved.” Australia has been India’s bogey team in recent years but Ghosh is confident that Meg Lanning’s team is a beatable one. Australia have been a dominant force in the format since winning the last edition in 2020 at home.
In the last 22 months, Australia have lost just one T20I and that defeat came against India away from home via a Super Over. The five-time champions are unbeaten in tournament so far, having won all their group stage matches.
“Australia are beatable, in the our last series we beat them and we have also done it before. They are a strong team but we can beat them,” Ghosh stated.
“We are trying to improve our mindset. Everyone has the game but the team that is mentally strong will win. We have been working on that,” said Ghosh.
Having played in a five-match series in December, the U-19 World Cup-winning teenager said that India plan to exploit Australia’s weaknesses.
“We know the weak spot of Australia and we are planning against it but I will not say what that (weakness) is because then they will come prepared.” The hard-hitting Ghosh, who has hit two half-centuries in the tournament and is the team’s leading run-scorer, said India will play an attacking game similar to Australia on Thursday.
“They attack a lot. So, whatever happens to them, even if the batter is out, they don’t leave the attacking. Because they have batters from top to bottom. We also have batter from top to bottom. So, we will play an attacking game.” Ghosh feels beating Australia will be a “huge confidence booster” heading in to the final.
“I only see the ball and try to play according to it, I dont see who is bowling because if we start thinking that a top bowler is bowling then the nervousness creeps in,” she concluded.
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