Australia remain as strong even without Alyssa Healy, says Harmanpreet ahead of must-win T20 World Cup clash | Cricket News

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur said his team will focus on their own game rather than Australia’s record when the two sides meet in what could decide India’s place in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.India take on Australia at Lord’s in their Group A final, knowing a win will improve their chances of reaching the last four.

Speaking on JioStar, Harmanpreet said that Australia remains one of the strongest teams despite the retirement of Alyssa Healy.“We recently played a T20I series against Australia on their home soil, and we did well. This series gave us confidence. It’s not that after the retirement of Alyssa Healy, Australia have become weaker. They are still a very strong side. They have a deep pool of players and a system that keeps producing quality cricketers. A player who leaves does not change,” Kaur said.Australia, led by an all-rounder Sophie Molineuxthey have won all four games so far in the tournament. Another win against India will confirm their place in the semi-finals.Harmanpreet praised the leadership of Molineux, 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 setup for a long time, so she understands the dynamics of the team. Under her leadership well prepared, but we are always well prepared.“She added: “We have always given a tough competition in the big tournaments. The mentality remains the same; we will give our best, work hard, and try to dominate in every department. We know that they are a strong team, but we also know that we have the ability to match them.”The India captain said his team is focusing on their plans rather than spending time thinking about Australia’s strengths.“We know Australia has great cricketers. They have world-class players in every department. But we don’t spend too much time thinking about them. We focus on our abilities. We talk about what we need to do on match day, our batting plans, our bowling lengths, and our field standards. We discuss how we can perform our skills under pressure,” he said.She concluded: “We know what Australia has achieved in the past, but that doesn’t matter when we go on the field. It’s only about what we can do and how we can deliver to win that match. So, we keep the focus on ourselves. We talk about our strengths and how we can use them against them. That’s what we have to continue to do.”