Sports Desk
ISLAMABAD (March 7, 2020):-The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 Final is set to be a memorable occasion and will be the fifth time Australia and India have met in the history of the 20-over tournament.
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final will be the fifth time Australia and India have met at the tournament. Australia and India have both won two of their past four meetings, India the latest to triumph just two weeks ago in Sydney. Australia have not beaten India at an ICC tournament since 2012.
Australia have the advantage against India in T20Is, winning 13 of 19 meetings, but when it comes to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup there’s nothing to separate the two sides. They are tied at 2-2, with India having the upper hand in the two most recent meetings. The latest victory couldn’t be any fresher in our minds, but what happened in the rest?
2010, Semi-final, Australia beat India by seven wickets
Sunday will be just the second time Australia and India have faced each other in the knockout stage of the T20 World Cup - and this was the first.
Alex Blackwell was captain fantastic in 2010, hitting a career-best 61 to steer Australia into their first final before Leah Poulton put the match out of reach with 30 not out from 26 balls.
Harmanpreet Kaur scored 24 on that day in the Caribbean but was run out by the only other player from that game who went on to feature at all seven tournaments - Ellyse Perry.
2012, Group stage - Australia beat India by eight wickets
India's opening night win this year a mirror image of 2012, when they began with a heavy defeat to the reigning champions.
Australia started their title defence with a thumping eight-wicket victory over India in Galle that will be remembered fondly by Meg Lanning, who top scored with 39.
India didn’t win a game that tournament, while Australia went on to lift the trophy once again.
2018, Group stage - India beat Australia by 48 runs
It took another six years for the two sides to meet in the T20 World Cup again, and India wouldn't wait any longer for a maiden win.
Choosing to bat, Smriti Mandhana brought up 1000 runs in T20Is and put her side in command with 83. Australia fell well short with 119 all out.
Tayla Vlaeminck made her T20I debut for Australia that day, while Perry became the first cricketer for Australia, male or female, to play in 100 T20I matches.
2020, Group stage - India beat Australia by 17 runs
This one is a little easier for us all to recall.
Just over two weeks ago, India stunned Australia to win the tournament opener by 17 runs and put them back on level pegging with the hosts in T20 tournaments.
Poonam Yadav was the star of the show this time, taking four wickets for 19 runs to send the hosts into a spin at the Sydney Showground, denting their hopes of defending their world title.
When she comes out to bowl on Sunday, there’s no doubt all hearts will be racing at the MCG.
Beyond the T20 World Cup
The head-to-head record might not suggest it, but India have given the Aussies a fair few big scares.
Australia were given quite the reality check back in February when they crashed to a seven-wicket defeat to India in the tri-series.
Openers Smriti Mandhana (55) and Shafali Verma (49) powered India to victory with two deliveries remaining after Australia had made 173 for five.
Australia went on to win the tri-series final by 11 runs but the previous performance proved India’s potential to cause an upset before they went on to do so in Sydney.
They may be yet to win a T20 knockout against them, but that doesn’t mean India haven’t ruined Aussie tournament hopes before.
India will no doubt be using Harmanpreet Kaur’s match-winning 171 in their 2017 50-over World Cup final victory over Australia as motivation ahead of Sunday.
If the momentum stays in their favour, India have a good chance of spoiling the party once again.
