The stage is set for Match 17 of ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 as Australia clash with Bangladesh in Visakhapatnam. The action returns to the coastal city after we saw two days of rain in Colombo leading to two washouts in a row. We are hopeful of better weather conditions in Visakhapatnam. It is the clash of Australia & Bangladesh that have had contrasting fortunes this season. These are important two points for grabs for both teams.
Australia haven’t played their best cricket yet but have found ways to win contests and stay in the top two of points table. While Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney played the rescuing acts in their initial games, in the last game against India they completed a record chase of 331 with Alyssa Healy leading the way and others chipping in with Elysse Perry finishing things off in the end. Bangladesh, on the other hand, started with a win against Pakistan but then have lost close games against England and South Africa running both close but faltering in the end. The stage is set for an interesting battle.
Overview
The bandwagon returns to Visakhapatnam after a couple of days of action and rain watching in Colombo. This match will feature 7-time defending champions Australia up against spirited Bangladesh side who are playing their second World Cup only. The contest on paper might look like a mismatch but as we have seen in the World Cup so far, Bangladesh have been no pushovers and have pushed the higher ranked teams hard. They will be keen to do the same to the Aussies.
Australia have three wins and a no result so far in the tournament and a victory would take them back to the top of the table. Their next opponents, Bangladesh, have been playing some brilliant cricket but haven’t quite managed to get over the line. They gave England and South Africa a real scare earlier in the tournament, and now they have Australia in their sights.
The two sides have faced each other four times, with Australia coming out on top on every occasion. In their last World Cup meeting in 2022, Bangladesh had Australia in trouble during a small run chase, but a special innings from Beth Mooney bailed the Aussies out.
In their most recent outing, Bangladesh batted first and posted 232/6 from 50 overs against South Africa. Sharmin Akhter scored a half-century, while Fargana Hoque and Rubya Haider gave them a fine start, adding 53 for the first wicket. Nigar Sultana contributed 32, but it was Shorna Akter who stole the show with a quick-fire half-century reaching the milestone off 34 balls and remaining unbeaten on 51 off 35 balls. A cameo from Ritu Moni (19* off 8) pushed Bangladesh past the 230-run mark.
In the run chase, Bangladesh were competitive for most of the game, picking up the seventh wicket when the Proteas Women were 198/6 after 44.5 overs. In the penultimate over, Shorna Akter dropped a simple catch to dismiss Nadine de Klerk, which ultimately proved costly. Nahida Akter picked up 2/44 while Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni, and Fahima Khatun chipped in with a wicket apiece. Despite their efforts, South Africa got over the line with three balls to spare.
On the other hand, Australia are fresh off a record run-chase against India. Bowling first, they conceded 330 runs in 48.5 overs. Annabel Sutherland picked up her maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs, while Sophie Molineux claimed three wickets. Megan Schutt and Ashleigh Gardner took one apiece bowling India out with seven balls to spare. Australia’s bowlers picked up the last six wickets for just 36 runs, a remarkable turnaround that completely shifted the momentum.
With the bat, Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield started aggressively, adding 85 runs before Litchfield fell for 40. Elysse Perry walked off after 24 overs due to cramps, which opened the door for India to stage a comeback, picking up wickets at regular intervals to keep Australia on the edge. However, their skipper Healy’s century set them up for the chase.
Healy finished with 142 off 107 balls, while Ashleigh Gardner contributed with 45 off 46 balls to steady the innings. Perry returned, and handy contributions from Molineux and Kim Garth helped Australia cross the line with an over to spare.
So, the stage is set and it remains to be seen whether Bangladesh can spring a surprise and stun the defending champions Australia or will Australia continue their unbeaten run in this tournament.
Head-To-Head
Australia and Bangladesh have faced each other 4 times with Australia winning all 4 of them. Bangladesh will want to change that and spring a surprise in Visakhapatnam.
Pitch & Weather Report
The pitch in Vizag offers a balanced contest between bat and ball. Early on, pacers can generate bounce and movement but as the match progresses spinners come into play with grip and turn. Batting tends to become challenging under lights, making the toss crucial. Historically, teams batting first have fared better here. The average first innings total stands at around 252 with an average of six wickets falling per innings.
The weather in Vizag is expected to be bright and sunny conditions with 0% chance of rain on matchday. Temperatures will hover around 32 degrees Celsius, with 77% humidity, making it testing conditions under the sun. A 19 km/hr breeze could assist seamers early, before spin takes control in the latter stages. Expect a full day’s play with conditions favouring high-quality cricket.
Predicted/Possible Playing XI of both sides
Here, we will predict the possible playing XIs of both sides.
Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (c &wk), Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Kim Garth, Alana King, Darcie Brown, Sophie Molineux.
Bangladesh XI: Rubya Haider, Fargana Hoque, Sharmin Akhter, Nigar Sultana (c &wk), Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Nahida Akter, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni, Marufa Akter.
Key Players to watch out for in this clash
Phoebe Litchfield: Phoebe Litchfield hasn’t set the house on fire in this World Cup yet, but we know she is a quality player with loads of talent. She showed her glimpse in the last game against India and would now be keen to carry forward this form into the future games starting from this one against Bangladesh. She will know the Vizag surface inside out and may perform to her potential although she has to battle spin of Bangladesh. She will be keen to do well.
Alana King: Alana King hasn’t hit her strides yet and has blown hot and cold so far. It is true she has been introduced late and hasn’t completed her full quota of overs. But she is a quality player and with the pitch expected to aid spinners a little bit, King can come into the game. She is a genuine wicket-taker and can on her day run through any side. So, she will expect to run through Bangladesh for sure in this game.
Fargana Hoque: The experienced campaigner and most capped player Fargana Hoque played an important role in giving the team a solid start in the powerplay. It might have been a tad slow, but it was steady and laid the platform for the others to do the job. Hoque will be crucial again in giving team solid steady starts and then take it from there. She is an integral member of this side for sure.
Fahima Khatun: Fahima Khatun has been in good form with the ball in hand. She has picked up regular wickets in the middle overs and will once again be a threat against Australia. She has the uncanny ability to keep things tight and take wickets as well. Her 3-wicket hauls against England and South Africa derailed them almost and would like to do the same against defending champions Australia.
Key Stats/Records that we have to watch out for in this clash
- Ellyse Perry requires 86 runs to reach 4500 ODI runs, 8 fours to complete 400 ODI fours and 2 sixes to reach 50 ODI sixes.
- Alyssa Healy needs 55 runs to complete 3500 ODI runs.
- Ashleigh Gardner is 13 runs short of reaching 1500 ODI runs.
- Phoebe Litchfield requires 5 fours to complete 150 ODI fours.
- Beth Mooney is 89 runs away from reaching 3000 ODI runs.
- Megan Schutt needs 3 wickets to become Australia’s third highest wicket-taker in Women’s ODIs.
- Georgia Wareham requires 3 wickets to complete 50 ODI wickets.
- Fargana Hoque needs 87 runs to reach 2000 ODI runs.
Predicted/Possible Outcome of the Match
For starters, we expect a full game today and that will be a relief for all after two washouts in Colombo. As far as this match goes, there is no prizes for guessing. Whether on form, paper or comparison of both sides, it is Australia who start this match as favourites and should get the job done. But we have seen stranger things happen and Bangladesh will have to believe they can do the unthinkable.
Bangladesh has to bowl and bat exceedingly well and hope Australia have a below par day to cause an upset. If Australia plays upto potential, they will surely be winners of this match. We shall see how this game goes and let the better team on the night win.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI WC 2025: South Africa Pulls Off Incredible Heist