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Will rain gatecrash IND vs AUS Women's World Cup knockout match in Navi Mumbai? What happens if semifinal is washed out?
India will be keen to avenge their league-stage loss, but rain could force a washout, leaving the semifinal outcome to tournament rules.
India will aim to reach the Women's World Cup final for the first time in eight years when they take on the defending champions, Australia, at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on Thursday. Incidentally, it was the Aussies whom India had overcome in 2017 to reach the final after a Harmanpreet Kaur classic at the County Ground in Derby. Barring 2017, India has reached the final just once prior, in 2005, where they had lost to Australia at SuperSport Park in Centurion. (IND W vs AUS W LIVE SCORE, WOMEN'S WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL)
Australia was the first side to qualify for the semifinals in the 2025 edition of the ICC tournament after ending their league stage unbeaten, winning six of their seven matches, while one game ended in a no-result. India, the host nation, clinched the final semifinal spot after winning three of their seven matches and finishing with seven points — a campaign that also included a loss to the Alyssa Healy-led side.
ALSO READ: Can India beat Australia in Women's World Cup semifinal as Rawal’s absence, Healy’s return tilt the balance?
While India will be keen to avenge their loss in the league stage earlier this month, rain could play spoilsport, potentially forcing a washout and leaving the outcome to tournament rules.
Navi Mumbai weather report today
Rain has left a lasting impact throughout the tournament in October, affecting 10 matches during the league stage, with six of them ending in no-contest. While India and Australia will be expecting some mercy from the weather gods, Navi Mumbai has experienced heavy rainfall all week.
AccuWeather issued a yellow alert for the morning, though conditions are expected to improve in the afternoon, with a 25 percent chance of rain and "sun through high clouds." By evening, the chance of rain drops to 15 percent, with partly cloudy skies.
What happens if semifinal is washed out?
Unlike the league-stage matches, the ICC has scheduled a reserve day in case persistent rain washes out Thursday’s semifinal. If needed, the game will be played on Friday, October 31.
However, AccuWeather’s forecast for Friday predicts “broken intervals with scattered showers,” with an 84 percent chance of rain.
If the reserve day gets washed out too, Australia will progress to the final by virtue of finishing higher in the points table. They will hence set up a date with South Africa, who beat England to reach the final on Wednesday.
