New Delhi: No fixture in women’s cricket carries more weight right now than Australia versus India. World No.1 against the reigning Asia Cup champions, the two teams sit first and third in both the ODI and T20I rankings — and every meeting between them feels like a final.
India arrive in this phase of the rivalry as a transformed side. Victory at the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai added to their status as a major-tournament force, with Smriti Mandhana the No.1 ODI batter in the world on 790 rating points and Sree Charani setting a record rating at the top of the T20I bowling charts.
Australia, though, remain the benchmark. Alyssa Healy’s side top both team rankings, with Beth Mooney reclaiming the No.1 T20I batting spot after her Player-of-the-Tournament performance in the T20 World Cup final, and Ashleigh Gardner leading the ODI all-rounder standings.
Last time they met
The teams last clashed in a full multi-format tour of Australia in February-March 2026 — three T20Is in Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide, three ODIs in Brisbane and Hobart, and a day-night Test at the WACA in Perth. It was a tour that tested every facet of India’s game against the most complete side in women’s cricket.
The key battles
Mandhana versus Australia’s new-ball attack remains the marquee contest, while Deepti Sharma’s all-round value — fifth in the T20I all-rounder rankings — gives India balance. For Australia, Mooney and Gardner are the pillars, with Sophie Molineux’s leadership growing in influence.
Mandhana versus Mooney
The individual rivalry mirrors the team one. Mandhana sits atop the ODI batting rankings on 790 points, eight clear of Laura Wolvaardt, while Mooney — back at No.1 in T20Is after her World Cup final masterclass — is the player India must dismiss early. When the world’s best batters share a series, the margins are always fine.
India’s bowling has a new spearhead too. Sree Charani’s record rating at the summit of the T20I bowling rankings gives the attack a cutting edge it has sometimes lacked against Australia’s deep batting.
Contrasting calendars
India’s immediate focus is a packed home season, starting with Zimbabwe Women in October — three T20Is in Raipur and three ODIs in Vadodara. Australia, meanwhile, build toward their home summer. Different paths, same destination: both sides are shaping their squads with the biggest stages in mind.
Why it matters
For years, Australia’s dominance over India was taken for granted. That era is over. India now meet Australia as equals — Asia Cup champions, top-three in both formats, and with a generation of players who expect to win these contests. The next chapter of this rivalry could be its best.
What comes next
Both teams face packed calendars. India are in the middle of a home season that includes Zimbabwe Women in October, while Australia’s summer program will test their depth. Whenever these two meet next, it will be appointment viewing — the rivalry that currently defines the women’s game.
