India will take on Australia in the first ODI on Sunday.
India women’s cricket team has shown some good signs across formats in the last couple of years, particularly in ODI cricket. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side has won 17 of their last 24 matches, winning six out of the seven ODI series since January 2024. In the process, they whitewashed South Africa, West Indies, and Ireland at home. However, their only series loss came against the mighty Australian side, where they suffered 0-3 down under.
Now, with the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 only two weeks away, the Women in Blue are scheduled to lock horns with Alyssa Healy-led Australia at home in build-up to the marquee tournament. The three-match series will start from September 14, with the second and third ODIs slated for September 17 and September 20.
Speaking ahead of the first ODI, Australia skipper Healy has ranked India red-hot favourites to win their maiden ICC title, touching upon team combinations and India’s growth.
“India are probably red-hot favourites in their own conditions, but I feel the 15 players we’ve got are really well placed to contribute in this series,” she noted. “For a long time, they’ve been a bit of a sleeping giant. But this is the most stable Indian team I’ve seen. They’re aware of how dangerous they can be, and we’ve watched them challenge England recently. It’s a rivalry that keeps growing, and they love beating Australia, especially at home. That’s the challenge we’re excited for.”
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Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was also confident with her team but underlined the series in the buildup to the World Cup. She feels that Indian players have gained a huge experience in taking on Australia in crucial matches in the last couple of years, but failed to cross the line.
“Australia have been dominating for a long time. But in the last 1-1.5 years, our performances have brought us closer. We are now at a stage where everyone believes we can beat them… Hopefully, in these three matches, we play our best cricket and change the stats people talk about,” said Indian captain Harmanpreet.
India are yet to taste the ODI World Cup success, but hold the tag of home favourites. In 13 matches between the two high-profile teams, India have managed to win on just three occasions, with Australia emerging victorious on 10 occasions, showcasing the dominance the Kangaroos have had over India in ICC events.
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