The stage is set for a blockbuster opening to the multi-format series as Australia hosts India at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground. This isn’t just a bilateral series; it’s a points-based battle across formats, and the first T20I offers a chance to land a massive psychological blow.

Australia enter a new era under Sophie Molineux, who takes the T20I captaincy reins for the first time. The Aussies have been a fortress at home, winning their last 10 bilateral T20I series on home soil. However, they are coming off a rare stumble, a semi-final exit in the 2025 World Cup, and will be hungry to re-establish dominance.

India, the reigning ODI World Champions, arrive with significant momentum after a 5-0 sweep of Sri Lanka and a clinical warm-up win over the Governor-General’s XI. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side has historically struggled against the Aussies, but their 2016 series win in Australia remains the blueprint they’ll look to replicate.

Australia Women vs India Women: Match Details

• Date and Time: February 15; 01:30 pm IST/ 08:00 am GMT/ 7:00 pm Local
• Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

Sydney Cricket Ground Pitch Report

The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) pitch for the 1st T20I is expected to be a balanced, “sporting” surface with something for everyone. Historically, the track offers a decent bounce that fast bowlers will look to exploit during the Powerplay, while the surface traditionally slows down as the match progresses. Since the match is a night fixture, dew is expected to be a major factor, potentially making the ball slippery for bowlers and easier for batters in the second innings. Consequently, chasing has been the winning formula in recent T20Is here, and the captain winning the toss will likely opt to field first to capitalize on the better batting conditions under lights.

Also READ: Australia unveil multi-format squads for home series against India as Alyssa Healy gears up for final assignment

Squads

India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Gunalan Kamalini

Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney (wk), Georgia Voll, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Kim Garth, Sophie Molineux (c), Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown, Grace Harris, Nicola Carey, Georgia Wareham

Australia Women vs India Women: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• India Women wins the toss and bowls first
• Australia Women’s powerplay score: 65-75
• Australia Women’s total score: 200-210

Case 2:

• Australia Women wins the toss and bowls first
• India Women’s powerplay score: 60-70
• India Women’s total score: 190-200

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest

Also READ: 10 lesser-known facts about Australia’s newly appointed all-format captain Sophie Molineux

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.