Nasser Hussain pinpoints key to India's success against Australia

Nasser Hussain on stand out players and his favourite to win the Women's T20 World Cup | The ICC Review

Former England captain and ICC commentator Nasser Hussain joins The ICC Review host Sanjana Ganesan to discuss all the big stories from the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 so far.

Nasser Hussain believes fielding and not psychology is the biggest barrier standing between India and Australia as they get set to clash in an ICC Women's T20 World Cup blockbuster at Lord's.

India's catching has been the talking point going into what promises to be the crucial match of the T20 World Cup group stage, as the two giants of women's cricket prepare to face off on English soil with a place in the semi-final at stake.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has pulled no punches in his assessment of where India need to improve ahead of their clash with Australia.

India dropped four catches in five overs against Bangladesh on Thursday. Even though they managed to come out of the game with a win, two drops towards the end of their match against South Africa cost them the game and has left them needing a win in their final fixture against six-time winners Australia to ensure their place in the final four.

"They've got to take their catches," Hussain said during the latest episode of The ICC Review Podcast.

The consequences of dropped catches becomes even more severe when facing a batting lineup as deep as Australia's. Hussain pointed to the make-up of the Aussie order as proof of just how little India can afford to give second lives.

"You look at Alana King maybe coming in at nine or 10. Sophie Molineux, the skipper, didn't even bat in one game I covered and she was due to come in at No.11. She's a top all-rounder as the captain.

"So it's hard enough getting those wickets without dropping catches. Can't be giving Annabel Sutherland, Beth Mooney, or Phoebe Litchfield chances.”

The veteran commentator was careful to note that India are not the only team guilty of lapses in the deep, but stressed that the stakes against Australia make the margin for error razor-thin.

"It's not just India, New Zealand. I've done two games for New Zealand, (they) have dropped a lot of chances. It's the one thing in the women's game, especially the catching on the deep," Hussain noted.

"It's just in the deep there's a lot of chances in this World Cup that have gone down and you know that's an area India need to improve on, is their fielding."

Facing the same opponent in a do-or-die situation, Rodrigues may have to lean back on the past to get her going this World Cup.

Hussain believes that experience will count for something when she walks out to bat.

"I think it helps. Jemimah obviously has fantastic memories. It'd be one of her great innings and one of her most emotional innings as well, with it being in Mumbai, with it being a semi final, a World Cup semi-final, and with it being Australia," he noted.

"I think it helps when you're a little bit short of runs that you come up against an opponent you've done well against in the past."

As for whether there remains a psychological barrier against Australia, a side that has beaten India in five out of their seven meetings in the T20 World Cup.

However, Hussain pointed to more recent meetings to play down the notion.

"After the semi-final, I'm talking about the semi-final win in the 50-over World Cup, I don't think there's a psychological barrier there. I think now it's a skills barrier and the main skill they have to nail is the catching. They've got to catch better."

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