India have played in a manner befitting their defending champions status. This team, under Niki Prasad, is perhaps stronger than the one that had two internationals – Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh – and won the inaugural Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in 2023. They have demolished all their opponents, with wins over West Indies, hosts Malaysia and Sri Lanka in the group stage, and Bangladesh and Scotland in the Super 6s. Only Sri Lanka pushed them to a degree, and India still beat them by 60 runs. All their games have been at the Bayumeas Oval where none of the other three semi-finalists have played so far.
The bowling and fielding. VJ Joshitha and Shabnam Shakil have provided early breakthroughs in almost every game, resulting in India picking up 19 wickets in the powerplay, the most by any team this tournament. Joshitha’s ability to swing the ball both ways at just the right pace would make her role model Bhuvneshwar Kumar proud. There are shades of Bhuvneshwar in her action as well.
After the new-ball bowlers create an opening, India’s three left-arm spinners haven’t given opponents a chance to fight back. Parunika Sisodia and Aayushi Shukla are unrelentingly accurate, and Vaishnavi Sharma spins the ball more than the other two with an action inspired by her idol Radha Yadav. With the most wickets (12) in the tournament, two player-of-the-match awards, a hat-trick, an average of 2.33 and an economy of 2, Sharma’s having a dream World Cup, just like G Trisha is with bat.
Trisha became the tournament’s first centurion, smashing 110 not out off 59 balls with 13 fours and four sixes against Scotland, putting on 147 for the first wicket with wicketkeeper G Kamalini, who is part of Mumbai Indians in the upcoming WPL. While that innings has put her in pole position to finish as the tournament’s top-scorer, it was her first player-of-the-match effort of 49 from 44 when India were in trouble on a turning pitch against Sri Lanka that showed her quality. The next highest score in that game was 16 and Trisha helped India score a match-winning 118 for 9.
Having bundled out West Indies for 44, Malaysia for 31 and restricted Bangladesh to 64 for 8, India completed their chases in 4.2, 2.5 and 7.1 overs respectively. Trisha and Kamalini also batted the bulk of the overs against Scotland and the rest of the batters did not do well in their only real test – against Sri Lanka. Vice-captain Sanika Chalke, who bats at No. 3, is the only other batter to face at least 20 deliveries in the tournament. If India’s middle order is called on in the semi-final, it will be a largely untested one.
Prasad has led her team with maturity and calmness. Her field placements and bowling changes have been impressive. India are also one of the best fielding sides in Malaysia, led by Chalke who has already taken two blinders and makes things happen in the inner circle. They would believe that their bowling unit, backed by their fielders, is capable of defending almost anything.
England can consider themselves unlucky, having had no-results against Ireland and Nigeria and losing out on the top spot in their Super 6 Group, which would have avoided a semi-final against India. They didn’t carry forward points from their group-stage win against Pakistan either because Pakistan didn’t make it to the Super 6s. England were dominant with bat against USA and in a must-win game against New Zealand to secure their semi-final berth.
England like to smash it. That’s the mantra across all of England’s white-ball teams and their Under-19 side is no different. Opener Davina Perrin has already shown why Birmingham Phoenix signed her as a 15-year old in the Women’s Hundred in 2022. Her 131 runs in 4 innings at a strike rate of 145.55 includes five sixes, the joint most in the tournament. Her 74 off 45 against an impressive USA side helped England gun down 120 in just 14.2 overs, the highest successful chase in this tournament. With the ball, Tilly Corteen-Coleman is dead accurate with her left arm spin, with seven wickets at an average of 5.14 and an economy of 2.8. Prisha Thanawala provides able support with her offbreaks. Allrounder Trudy Johnson has shown batting prowess at No. 3 and is a genuine wicket-taking seamer. Wicketkeeper Katie Jones, who models herself on Sarah Taylor, looks like a world-class stumper already with nine dismissals in three games, including a record five against New Zealand.
England are heavily reliant on Perrin with the bat. The middle order has been either untested or unconvincing. Perrin has had three different opening partners in four games, suggesting uncertainty about their combination – England have also played all 15 of of their squad members despite reduced game time in the competition due to rain.
Against India, England will need to counter the challenge of facing three left-arm spinners, and Jemima Spence, who opened against New Zealand, could be crucial. She has the game to score against spin. With the ball, how the rest of the bowlers back up Corteen-Coleman could prove decisive if England are to get the better of India this time, having been outplayed in the final in 2023.
