3 things India can learn from Australia Women's 2023 T20 World Cup win
After defeating India in the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup last week, Australia went on to win their sixth T20 World Cup title on Sunday (February 26). This is the second time they have achieved a three-peat, making them the only side to do so in men's or women's cricket.
They defeated the hosts, South Africa, in the finals at Newlands, Cape Town. Winning the game comfortably by a margin of 19 runs, Meg Lanning and her side proved that the rest of the world still has plenty to do to catch up to the standards her side has set.
Of course, the rest of the teams have been trying to raise their game. India have been the only side that has consistently proved to be a menace for the Australians in recent times, even if the results haven't gone their way. However, there is enough to show that the gap is closing down between the two sides.
After another heartbreaking exit at the hands of the six-time champions, we take a look at three things India can learn from Meg Lanning's side after their T20 World Cup 2023 win.
#1 Fielding can prove to be the difference in games
It feels like the same case every year for India with their fielding being a real concern for a long time now. That came to hurt them again in the end, in their semi-final against Australia. Having weak fielders is something most sides have to deal with, but it's the captain's responsibility to ensure those fielders are not in the hotspots.
Shafali Verma had a couple of misfields in that game while fielding at mid-on, before dropping a crucial catch of Beth Mooney at long-on. On the contrary, Australia had the right fielders in the right place throughout. The highlight of their fielding was Ellyse Perry throwing herself around on the field at the back-end of the game to ensure she saved some crucial runs for her side.
At the end of the day, it's the little margins on the field that go a long way in deciding such tight encounters. Unfortunately, for India, they always tend to fall short because these little margins don't go their way.
#2 Playing on tactical matchups
This is another thing India haven't done a lot in recent times. Tactical matchups aren't really complicated. That doesn't mean they're always right either, but they do give the team using them a better chance of winning the game if they utilize it correctly.
Darcie Brown historically has a good record against Smriti Mandhana, but Meg Lanning used the tactical matchup by bringing in Ashleigh Gardner to get the better of the Indian opener, as she has done on multiple occasions when the two sides have met.
The little awareness on and off the field goes a long way in making these tactical matchups crucial. When the margin for error is less, the team making the least number of errors usually comes out on top. The Women in Blue have made their fair share of these errors in recent times.
#3 Never say die attitude
One reason why Australia have won six T20 World Cup titles is because of their never-say-die attitude. Their team simply doesn't know how to give up. It's a word that doesn't exist in their dictionary. Even in situations when they seem down and out, someone or the other manages to step up and rescue them.
In the final of the Commonwealth Games against India last year, the Australians had their backs against the wall. However, they managed to hold their nerve and emerged triumphant in the end, much like they did in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last week.
It's a feature of their team that stands out more than anything else. When the going gets tough, this Australian side certainly knows how to get going. That is something India can learn from this juggernaut of a side.