Former India captain Mithali Raj backed batter Harleen Deol to open with Smriti Mandhana in the Women's ODI World Cup 2025 semi-final against Australia. "She has often walked in early and is comfortable facing the new ball," Mithali explained. Notably, opener Pratika Rawal, who scored 122(134) against New Zealand, was ruled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury.