Richa Ghosh blueprints India's Australian Assault
While Australia are hot favourites to claim victory and press for a sixth Women's T20 World Cup, India are the last team to defeat Meg Lanning's side in a competitive T20I, thanks to a Super Over victory back in December.
Ghosh played a key role in the win, making a quick-fire 26* to match Australia's 187, before hitting Heather Graham for a six off the first ball of the tie-breaking over.
Lisa Sthalekar and Sanjana Ganesan preview the first semi-final between Australia and India in our latest episode of #TurnItUp at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023
The 19-year-old has faced Australia's best at the crease a number of times in her three-year international career, though has also taken notes from behind the stumps too, as an observer of Australia's batting brigade.
In the build-up to the T20 World Cup semi-final meeting with the familiar foes, Ghosh told reporters that plans have been formulated with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the coaching team, but kept details minimal.
"We have worked out the weak spots and planned for (Australia's batters).
"But if we share the weak points, they will obviously be ready. So, I don't want them to be prepared for anything right now and help them get any information."
India also boast recent group stage victories over the Aussies across the 2018 and 2020 editions of the tournament, though fell agonisingly short in front of 86,000 people at the MCG three years ago against Meg Lanning's side in the tournament final.
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The young wicketkeeper-batter says there are no demons surrounding previous results in big games, but instead has focussed on the positives from recent bilateral success.
“When you beat Australia, you get a lot of confidence because they are a good team, a strong team.
“We are improving our mindset, because the game is everyone's. The one who is mentally strong in the game, they will win. We have worked on that and now let’s just see what happens."
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Australia meanwhile are unsure of their first XI, with the return of Alyssa Healy, who has recovered from the calf injury that kept her out of the meeting with Bangladesh in Gqeberha.
The defending champions have not played at Newlands in the tournament proper, and with a spot in the final on the line, Ghosh believes.
"We can beat Australia (on Thursday). It’s not that we can't beat them, because we did it in the last series in India and we did it before as well."