By BD Narayankar
Bengaluru, Sept 27 (UNI) Australia’s women’s side has dominated the ODI format for decades, but if you’ve been watching closely, there are cracks beginning to show. Sure, they still win more often than not, but the gap between them and the chasing pack isn’t what it once was.
In their recent series against India, Australia were put under pressure more than once. India had their chances but couldn’t quite close it out- something we’ve seen before. That’s been the story for most teams against Australia: close, but not close enough.
History says they’ll start the World Cup as favourites. Seven ODI titles and six in T20s tells you they know how to win the big tournaments. But winning streaks don’t last forever, and right now, the others are making up ground. England beat them in the Ashes ODIs, and India are playing with enough belief to know they can match them on their day.
The batting numbers tell an important story. A few years ago, Australia were streets ahead in averages and strike-rates. Now, England and India are just about level, sometimes even better. That’s not because Australia have collapsed- they’re still very good- but because the competition has finally raised its standards. South Africa, too, have found a couple of openers who can give them a real chance in big games.
There’s also the Healy factor. Alyssa Healy was once the batter opponents feared most; she dominated World Cups with runs at a cracking pace. Lately, she hasn’t delivered enough. When your most explosive player is struggling, it gives other teams hope. Beth Mooney remains consistent, and youngsters like Phoebe Litchfield look promising, but Australia will need more from their leaders.
Another telling sign: Australia have suffered some heavy defeats in the last couple of years. Losing by 102 runs isn’t the Australia we’re used to. And when they conceded 369 to India in Delhi, it felt like a line had been crossed. For decades, chasing a huge score against Australia was a pipe dream- suddenly, it looks possible.
Of course, tournaments aren’t won on statistics alone. To topple Australia, you need belief, a clear plan, and usually one or two individuals to play the innings- or the spell- of their life. Harmanpreet Kaur did it in 2017, and South Africa’s bowlers did it in the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final. That’s the sort of cricket it takes to beat the best.
So can other teams finally match Australia? Yes, but there’s still a big difference between putting pressure on them in a series and knocking them out of a World Cup. Until England, India, or South Africa actually win the trophy, Australia’s stranglehold remains.
But make no mistake—the aura of invincibility is fading. Come October, if someone does knock them off, it won’t be a shock anymore. It’ll be the confirmation that women’s cricket has finally caught up with Australia.
