Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry has revealed that her team is aware of the threat dangerous batters such as Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur will pose in their next match of the ongoing ICC Women World Cup 2022.
Mandhana and Kaur had scored fine centuries against West Indies in India’s previous match and had led the team to a convincing win of 155 runs.
Harmanpreet Kaur has been in sublime form as she had scored 73 runs against New Zealand and then backed it another fine inning of 109 runs against the Windies. Mandhana and Kaur had added 182 runs for the fourth-wicket alliance against the Caribbean nation and both of them had batted at the top of their game.
Furthermore, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur have the experience of playing in the Big Bash League and thus have the experience of playing against the Aussie bowlers.
“We are constantly aware of the power in the Indian batting line-up,” Perry said after Australia’s seven-wicket win over West Indies in Wellington. “Smriti and Harman are two of the most dangerous batters certainly. Both played Big Bash over the summer in Australia and were very, very good there. I think they both scored hundreds in that tournament; if not, they got very close. I know Smriti did.”
Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Kaur had played one of the best knocks in the history of the Women’s World Cup when she had scored 171 runs in the semifinal clash of the 2017 tournament against Australia.
“We have played a lot against one another lately, so it gives us a really great chance to prepare,” Perry said. “It’s a very strong batting line-up and I’ve only mentioned two names [Mandhana and Harmanpreet] there. It’s going to be a great challenge for us. I think it has come really at the right time. And I think both teams are in a really good spot. So it should be a great clash.”
On the other hand, Australia continued their rich form in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2022 in New Zealand, bagging their fourth win in as many matches against the West Indies. Meg Lanning-led registered a comfortable seven-wicket win as Ellyse Perry scalped three wickets and returned with her second consecutive Player of the Match award.
India and Australia will take on each other at Eden Park, Auckland on Saturday.
