India under pressure, Australia ready to make life tougher for them: Sophie Molineux

Australia captain Sophie Molineux said her team will look to build on the pressure India are already under when the two sides meet in a thrilling Women’s World T20 clash at Lord’s on Sunday. While Australia are almost certain to progress to the semi-finals, barring an extraordinary turn of events, India need a win to boost their chances of making it to the last four.

Molineux are yet to find success against India since taking over as Australia’s full-time captain from Alyssa Healy. Earlier this year, Australia lost the home T20I series 1-2 to India. Having played 11 T20Is against India since 2018, Molineux are expecting another fiercely contested encounter in front of a packed crowd at Lord’s.

“Yes, I suppose we’re in a bit of a different situation than India. We still need to win and make sure we finish where we want to be placed. And yes, we know there’s a bit of pressure on them and hopefully we can double that and put the pressure on them quite early in the game as well,” Molineux told the pre-match press conference.

“But yes, the games against India are always, always good, always intense, but it’s a sell-out crowd so we know it’s going to be a big occasion and we’re really looking forward to it,” Molineux said.

AUSTRALIA GET THE PHOEBE BOOST

Meanwhile, Australia have received an early boost, with Phoebe Litchfield set to return after recovering from a calf injury. The left-hander has missed Australia’s last three matches after picking up an injury during his explosive 24-ball half-century against South Africa in the tournament opener.

Litchfield has resumed full training over the past week and is expected to be available for selection at Lord’s. Her return will bolster Australia’s batting line-up as the six-time champions aim to maintain their unbeaten run heading into the knockout stages.

“Yes, she looks good. She trained fully today, she built up a bit and she’s been quite good for the last maybe week. So yes, she’s going to be good, which is exciting for us,” added Molineux.

Australia, the six-time world champions, have lived up to their reputation in the ongoing tournament. They won all four matches in the group stage to top Group A with eight points and a net rate of +4.724. Fresh off a 113-run victory over Pakistan, Australia will aim to complete a perfect campaign in the group stage with a fifth win in a row.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

27 Jun 2026 18:55 IST