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After four weeks of enthralling action between the eight teams, the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup has its two finalists. And as it turns out, the finalists are the top two pre-tournament favourites Australia and England. The winners of the previous ODI WC edition in 2017 – England women will take on Australia in the final at Christchurch on April 3.
Australia have had an unbeaten run in the tournament, winning all of their seven matches in the group stage and then romping West Indies in the semifinals. Australia were sent in to bat first in the semifinal, where they posted 305/3 in a rain-affected 45-over match and won by 157 runs.
Alyssa Healy was the show stealer with her magnificent knock of 107-ball 129. Rachael Haynes also added 85 runs and was involved in a 216-run opening stand with Healy. Defending the target, their bowlers produced a combined effort to restrict the Windies to 148.
England, on the other hand, didn’t have a smooth journey to the final. They lost their first three group fixtures and were staring at an early exit. But a remarkable comeback, in which they won four matches on the trot, took them to the semifinals.
In the semi-final, England defeated South Africa by 137 runs at Christchurch. Batting first, England posted 293/8 on the back of a fantastic knock of 129 by Danielle Wyatt and 60 from Sophia Dunkley. Anya Shrubsole broke the game early with the ball, picking two scalps in her first two overs while Sophie Ecclestone went on to claim six for 36.
England women haven’t had a good time against Meg Lanning’s Australia in recent years. The last time they faced each other was in the 2022 women’s Ashes, where Australia hammered England in the ODI leg by 3-0. Heather Knight’s England will be looking to pay back for all the thrashings they’ve endured in the last four years. Australia Women will be looking to cap off their incredible run with the seventh WC title.
Key players
Arguably the best batter of all time in women’s ODIs, Meg Lanning has scored 4453 runs in 99 matches at an extraordinary average of 53.65 while striking at 92.
The Australian has registered 15 hundreds and 19 fifties in the format. She has amassed 384 runs in the ongoing WC at 64 average, with a hundred and two fifties.
England’s Sophie Ecclestone is the world no. 1 bowler in the fifty-over format and her consistent performances show how good she is. The left-arm spinner is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 20 wickets in just eight games at 3.40 rpo. Ecclestone, in her overall ODI career, has claimed 75 scalps in 46 games. She’s coming off a brilliant spell of 6 for 36.
Danielle Wyatt has produced two outstanding knocks for England in the ongoing competition since moving up the order. She scored 76* against Pakistan and is coming off a superb 129 in the semi-final. Overall, she has 1356 runs to her name at only 20.54 average but remains a key player considering her current form.
Left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen has a solid record in ODI cricket, having picked 128 wickets in 84 matches at 3.91 rpo. Jonassen has snared four or more wickets on eight occasions. She has picked 10 scalps in the ongoing WC and remains a key player for Australia.
Prediction
As far as the head to head record is concerned, there’s no match to Australia, who have only lost two matches since the last ODI World Cup. Australia have won all seven of the last clashes between these two teams.
Looking at the teams, both Australia and England look extremely strong. Australia’s batting unit, comprising Healy, Haynes, Lanning, Mooney and Gardner is better, with everyone having role clarity. Ellyse Perry is likely to be fit for the final and will add strength to the bowling unit. Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown and Alana King have been superb in the bowling department.
England took a while to nail their best playing XI, but they’ve done it. Wyatt has been superb since moving up the order. Batting form of Knight, Sciver and Jones could be a worry. In the bowling department, Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole have found form at the right time while Ecclestone and Charlie Dean have been terrific.
Overall, Australia will have an edge in the final with a more allround and in-form unit, but England are perfectly capable of producing a special performance at the big stage.
