India Women are gearing up to host Australia Women in the opening clash of a highly anticipated three-match ODI series on Sunday. With the ICC Women's ODI World Cup just around the corner—set to begin on September 30—this series is extremely crucial as both teams look to fine-tune their preparation ahead of the global showpiece. The first two matches of the series will be played at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. While the third and final game will be played at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

The series will serve as the final opportunity for both India and Australia to assess form, weigh up combinations, and build momentum before the high-pressure World Cup campaign kicks off. Notably, fast bowler Renuka Singh has returned from injury, set to spearhead India's pace attack.

India, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, will look to assert their dominance at home and will look to bring stability and consistency across all departments. Moreover, India boast a strong line-up with star players like Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, and young sensation Pratika Rawal in the mix.

Australia, under the leadership of Alyssa Healy, bring a strong and well-balanced squad, featuring stalwarts like Tahlia McGrath, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, and Ellyse Perry. The visitors will be keen to get acclimatised quickly to subcontinental conditions, which will likely play a pivotal role in the upcoming World Cup hosted in India.

Head-to-head

Matches - 56

IND won - 10

AUS won - 46

India Women likely XI: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gour, N Charani

Australia Women likely XI: Phoebe Litchfield, Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ash Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt