India opener Shafali Verma has said that her team’s recent success against Australia will give them confidence ahead of their key Women’s T20 World Cup clash at Lord’s on Sunday. She acknowledged Australia’s reputation as one of the strongest sides in women’s cricket but stressed that India have already shown they can beat them.
India remain in contention for a semi-final spot, with a win likely to secure qualification. Shafali pointed to India’s recent 2-1 T20I series victory in Australia as a major source of belief, noting that the result included a historic win on Australian soil.
In that series, India lost the opening match (decided via DLS), bounced back in the second game, and sealed the series with a strong performance in the decider in Adelaide. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues played key roles with the bat, while the bowlers delivered a disciplined effort to secure a 17-run win.
Despite Australia’s dominant record in women’s T20Is against India, Shafali said the gap between the sides has narrowed in recent years. She added that India are familiar with Australia’s bowling attack, which should help them prepare more effectively.
She emphasised that India will focus on playing simple, clear cricket rather than overthinking the occasion, trusting their own strengths.
India go into the match in strong position in Group A after a win over Bangladesh, sitting second with six points and a healthy net run rate, keeping them well placed for a potential semi-final berth.
