08 March,2020 07:37 AM IST | Mumbai | A correspondent
Australia skipper Meg Lanning and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur pose with the ICC T20 World Cup trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
India and Australia will join hands to get past the magic figure of 90,185, but beyond that, no quarter will be asked or given in the final of the most successful women's tournament staged yet. The official attendance at the USA v China women's football World Cup final in 1999 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena might have been just a notional target at one point, but with a dream final beckoning, it has quickly become a reality.
While India, with Harmanpreet Kaur at the forefront and young Shafali Verma being the player of the moment, are irresistible, there is no getting away from the fact that Australia are the team to beat. "We are match and battle-hardened, all our games have been cut-throat, must-win clashes and have all been close," said Meg Lanning, the captain.
"We haven't played our best game of cricket yet and that's still out there somewhere and hopefully it happens soon. We've shown that we're able to cope and be really calm under pressure and that's what is going to be needed. Often in finals, you don't need to go above and beyond what you've already presented."
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For India, who have been in Australia since late January, setting their sights on this final flourish, the time is ripe to come good. "It's a great feeling. It's the first time we're going to see 90,000 people in the stadium and we're really looking positive for that," said Kaur.
"We are used to playing when there's a lot of crowd around us. Sometimes there's no noise going around in the stadium, so we need to keep an eye on each of us. It's a big moment. Rather than thinking about what is going to trouble us, it's only about being there, enjoying the moment and giving our best."
If this young team, unbeaten in the tournament, gives its best over a reasonable part of 40 overs - the forecast is for clear and bright skies - then Australia will have faced their toughest opponent yet.
4
Number of times Australia have won the T20 World Cup, while it is a maiden appearance for India in the summit clash
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