India is currently taking on Australia in the semi-final of the Women's T20 World Cup, and the Women in Yellow have won the toss and elected to bat first. The defending champions got off to a spectacular start after Beth Mooney scored a half-century right at the top, setting the tone for a thrilling match.
However, it was Shikha Pandey who brought India roaring back into the game, taking the wicket of Mooney with a stunning catch from Shafali Verma. As Mooney trudged off the field, Shafali let out a triumphant yell, her fiery reaction sending a clear message to the opposition.
Shafali Verma had previously dropped Mooney for a meager 32 runs, so the reaction was understandable.
Meanwhile, hours before the semi-final, India's fast-bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to an upper respiratory tract infection, with Sneh Rana named as her replacement in the squad. There were initial concerns over Harmanpreet Kaur's availability due to fever, but she has since been declared fit to play in the semi-final.
Australia and India last clashed in a global competition during the thrilling finale of the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where Meg Lanning's side emerged victorious to lift the trophy.
Australia have a slight 3-2 advantage over India in Women's T20 World Cup matches. However, India is the only team to have defeated Australia twice since the T20Is began in 2021.
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