'She's impossible to stop, makes me nervous': Meg Lanning scared of Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of IND vs AUS Women's World Cup semis

Former Australia captain Meg Lanning was known for delivering at the big stage, going by the superlative track record she has in the high-stakes ICC events. Right ahead of the high-octane Women's World Cup 2025 semifinal clash between India and Australia, Lanning has warned her team against Women in Blue's captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

Harmanpreet Kaur, a big threat of Australia, feels Meg Lanning

The second semifinal is scheduled for tomorrow at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on October 30. Sharing her insights on a recent episode of The ICC Review, Lanning said that India would keenly feel the absence of the injured opener, Pratika Rawal. However, she pinpointed India captain Harmanpreet Kaur as the potential game-changer, suggesting that if the 36-year-old 'gets going', she would be 'impossible to stop' for the Australian side.

"For India I'm going to go with captain Harmanpreet Kaur. She's had a good tournament, but she's probably yet to really explode and dominate a game. And for me, that makes me a touch nervous because it feels like she's due to do that. And when she gets going, she's pretty impossible to stop so she's the key player for India," Lanning said during the latest episode of ICC Review.

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Lanning also named Beth Mooney, the crucial player for the Australian side heading into the semifinal. Lanning specifically highlighted Mooney’s exceptional ability to adapt her game according to the match situation, stating that this quality would be crucial for setting a solid foundation for the Australian team's success in the knockout fixture.

"For Australia it has to be Beth Mooney as she can come in at any situation in the innings and adapt accordingly. If there's a really good foundation set, she's able to keep that momentum going. And we've also seen that if there's a couple of quick wickets, she's able to sort of work her way through those innings," she added.

Meanwhile, the other semifinal matchup in the tournament features England taking on South Africa in Guwahati on October 29.

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Lanning roots for Australia for Women's World Cup semifinal against India

While talking about India’s prospects in the semifinal, particularly with the advantage of a cheering home crowd, Lanning ultimately placed her trust in her former side, Australia. She confidently chose them to win the clash, citing their 'incredible depth' as the decisive factor that gives them an edge in the high-pressure knockout match.

"I think Australia have just got incredible depth. They've shown throughout the tournament that they're not reliant on one or two players and even if they do lose some early wickets with the bat, there's some real big power towards the backend that can sort of get them out of different situations," she concluded.