The Indian team is the team to beat in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup in Australia so far. The side had remained undefeated till now but when they will be taking on England in the first semi-final at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday (5 March),
England have been India's biggest nemesis since the inception of the T20 World Cup. India have successfully failed to overcome the English threat at the competition.
Out of the five meetings between the two sides in this tournament in the past England have won all the encounters.
Both sides first met in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2009. Since then they have played each in all editions except in 2010 in West Indies.
2009 ICC Women's T20 World Cup
India lost to England by 10 wickets in their first group stage match County Ground in Taunton.
After India won the toss and elected to bat, they could only manage 112/8 in their 20 overs. Mithali Raj top scored for India with her 37-ball 29. For England, Holly Collin starred with the ball with her 3 wickets for 20 runs.
Meanwhile, English opening duo of skipper Sarah Taylor (50 not out) and Charlotte Edwards (61 not out) overcame the target without losing a sweat to complete a 10-wicket win, with 26 balls to spare.
2012 ICC Women's T20 World Cup
Playing at the Galle International Stadium in Sri Lanka, India once again lost their group encounter against England by huge margin of 9 wickets.
In a repeat of their past encounter in the competition, India once again won the toss and chose to bat first. Led by Poonam Raut (51) and Mithali Raj (38), India managed a modest total of 116/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
In reply, the English batters strolled to their victory with nine wickets and 17 balls to spare. Charlotte Edward starred with the bat, again, for her 50 not out.
2014 ICC Women's T20 World Cup
Once again the Indian side were humiliated at the hands of their English counterparts by 5 wickets during the group stages of the competition in Bangladesh.
This time around England had won the toss but asked India to bat as they restricted India to 95/9 in 20 overs. Anya Shrubsole and Jenny Gunn picked up 3 wickets each as only two Indian batsmen managed to reach double figures. Skipper Mithali Raj top scored with 57 off 56 balls.
England, for a change, were made to toil hard to reach their target as they lost 5 wickets while chasing 98 runs. In the end, they overcame India’s score with 11 balls remaining.
2016 ICC Women's T20 World Cup
This time around for a change, India gave England a close fight, going down by 2 wickets in one of the group encounters in England.
Asked to bat, India kept losing regular wickets to finish with 90/8 in their 20 overs. Heather Knight (3/15) and Anya Shrubsole (2/12) not only accounted for wickets but also suffocated the Indian batsmen as they found it difficult to score.
When English batters came out to bat, they also had a tough time to get their runs easily. India’s Ekta Bisht took 4 wickets as England lost 8 wickets before reaching their target in 19 overs.
2018 ICC Women's T20 World Cup
For the first time in the history of the competition, India and England met each other in a knock-out match but there was no change in India’s fortune as they lost the semi-final by 8 wickets.
Coming into the semi-finals, India, like this time around, were unbeaten in the competition, beating the likes of eventual champions Australia and then New Zealand\ to top their group.
But England once again crushed the Indian challenge in the most ruthless manner possible. After winning the toss, India were off to a good start, courtesy Smriti Mandhana (34 off 23) and Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 26).
But, India lost the plot in the middle as they lostthey last 8 wickets for 24 runs. Heather Knight was once again the wrecker-in-chief for her 3/9 in 2 overs.
Chasing 113 for a place in the final, England lost their openers early but Amy Jones (53) and Natalie Sciver (52) didn’t allow any further slip-up as the duo put on an unbeaten 92-run stand to win it for England with 17 balls in hand.
However, in a recent tri-series before the World Cup, India have managed to defeat England and thus would want to take confidence from that win in Thursday's game as they look to book their place in their first T20 World Cup finals.
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