What Happens If India vs Australia, Women's World Cup Semifinal Is Washed Out - Explained

The Women's World Cup semifinal clash between India and Australia in Navi Mumbai on Thursday faces a major rain threat.  According to AccuWeather, there are significant chances of rain during the encounter and a yellow alert for heavy rain was issued for Thursday morning across Mumbai, with thunderstorms expected. The tournament has already seen a number of washouts and cricket fans will once again be worried about rain potentially playing spoilsport. If play is not possible on Thursday, there is a reserve day in place on Friday. However, if the reserve day is also washed out, Australia will qualify for the final. Australia defeated India in the group stage and also finished above the hosts in the points table.

A coveted spot in the final of the ICC Women's World Cup is on the line as India take on defending champions Australia in the second semifinal at DY Patil Stadium on Thursday. The winner will face either England or South Africa, who clash in the first semifinal on Wednesday, with the final scheduled for Sunday (November 2).

Both teams enter the high-stakes contest with major injury updates dominating the build-up. For India, the big setback came with the confirmation that opener Pratika Rawal will miss the remainder of the tournament after suffering an ankle injury while fielding against Bangladesh.

In her place, Shafali Verma has been drafted in as a replacement — a surprise return for the aggressive right-hander, who had not featured in the ODI setup for over a year and was not even among the original stand-by players.

Shafali's recall gives India a dynamic option at the top, where she is expected to partner with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. She last opened for India 'A' in Australia earlier this year, scoring a fluent half-century. The final batting combination will depend on whether captain Harmanpreet Kaur opts for a deeper bowling line-up or continues with an extra batter.

For Australia, the focus has been squarely on Alyssa Healy's fitness. The captain missed the last two group matches against England and South Africa with a minor calf strain but showed encouraging signs during training on Wednesday. Healy passed a fitness test, completed a full wicketkeeping session, and spent significant time batting in the nets — suggesting she is likely to play.

If Healy returns, Beth Mooney may retain the gloves, though Healy reportedly feels ready to resume wicketkeeping duties herself.

India face tricky choices in their bowling department. Seamer Renuka Thakur is expected to lead the attack, especially given her success at DY Patil, while Radha Yadav, Sneh Rana, and Sree Charani vie for spinning roles. The team's recent inconsistency — alternating between five and six specialist bowlers — leaves room for debate over the ideal balance on what is traditionally a flat pitch that may offer dew later in the evening.

Australia, meanwhile, might bring Sophie Molineux back in place of Georgia Wareham to strengthen their spin attack, depending on conditions. The rest of their line-up remains settled, with Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, and Ashleigh Gardner expected to play key roles in the middle order.

(With IANS inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Women's ODI World Cup 2025 Cricket India Women Australia Women