Australia remain just as strong without Alyssa Healy, says Harmanpreet ahead of must-win T20 World Cup match

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said her team will focus on their own game rather than Australia’s record when the two sides clash in what could decide India’s place in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.India will take on Australia at Lord’s in their final Group A match, knowing that a win will boost their chances of making it to the last four.

Harmanpreet Kaur dances with a young Dhol player fan

Speaking to JioStar, Harmanpreet said Australia remains one of the strongest teams despite Alyssa Healy’s exit.“We recently played a T20I series against Australia at their home ground and we did well. That series gave us confidence. It’s not like Australia has become weaker after Alyssa Healy’s departure. They are still a very strong side. They have a deep pool of players and a system that keeps producing quality cricketers. One player leaving doesn’t change that,” Kaur said.Led by all-rounder Sophie Molineux, Australia have won all four matches so far in the tournament. Another win against India will confirm their progress to the semi-finals.Harmanpreet praised Molineux’s leadership saying, “Sophie Molineux is also a great captain. She leads from the front and knows how to get the best out of her players. She is calm under pressure and reads the game well. She has been part of this Australian set-up for a long time so she understands the dynamics of the team. Under her leadership, they will always be well prepared against them. But we have always been well prepared against cricket.”She added: “We have always given them tough competition in big tournaments. The mindset remains the same; we will give our best, work hard and try to dominate them in every department. We know they are a strong team but we also know we have the ability to match them.”The India captain said her team was focusing on their own plans rather than spending time thinking about Australia’s strengths.“We know Australia has great women cricketers. They have world-class players in every department. But we don’t spend too much time thinking about them. We focus on our own skills. We talk about what we need to do on a match day, our batting plans, bowling lengths and fielding standards. We discuss how we can apply our skills under pressure,” she said.She concluded: “We know what Australia has achieved in the past, but it doesn’t matter when we step on the pitch. It’s just about what we can do and how we can win the game. So we focus on ourselves. We talk about our strengths and how we can use them against them. That’s what we’ll continue to do.”