England starts as favourite to lift its fourth Women’s World Cup title at Lord’s on Sunday, but faces an Indian side high on confidence after knocking out defending champion Australia in the semifinals.
England, captained by Heather Knight, holds the head-to-head advantage over India in the 50-over format at World Cups, with six wins to the visitor’s four.
But the Indian squad’s ability to grind out results under pressure will not have gone unnoticed, least of all by the English, who were beaten by India by 35 runs in their first match of the tournament. Since that defeat the host has won seven matches in a row to reach the final.
Knight and opening batsman Tammy Beaumont have been consistent at the top of the order, scoring 750 runs in the tournament so far, while the reliable Natalie Sciver at number four is the only player to have recorded two centuries.
Brand Mithali hitting new highs
Mithali Raj-led India, which is chasing its first title, is known for its strong batting line-up, but it is its spin bowling trio that has wreaked the most havoc during the tournament.
Off-spinner Deepti Sharma has been the key to its success in the middle overs, picking up 12 wickets on her World Cup debut. She has been backed by leg-spinner Poonam Yadav and left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht, who decimated Pakistan with a five-wicket haul earlier in the tournament.
Mithali and veteran fast bowler Jhulan Goswami are the only two members from the last Indian side that reached a World Cup final — when it lost to Australia in 2005.
“It seems like it’s going back to 2005 and I am just too happy that the girls have given us an opportunity to be a part of World Cup finals again,” Mithali said after the semifinal victory.
“They have performed well throughout the tournament in the run-up to the finals.
“Playing the hosts is going to be a challenge but, having said that, this unit is up for it.”
The teams (from):
England: Heather Knight (captain), Tamsin Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Beth Langston, Laura Marsh, Natalie Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor (wk), Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield and Danielle Wyatt.
India: Mithali Raj (captain), Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Jhulan Goswami, Mansi Joshi, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Smrti Mandhana, Mona Meshram, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav, Nuzhat Parween, Punam Raut, Deepti Sharma and Sushma Verma (wk).