Mumbai, Aug. 13 -- It took a little bit of nudging after which India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana picked out their contest against holders Australia as the one that will get her team truly going in the Women's ODI World Cup to be played in India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2. The nod from captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was seated next to her in the event held here on Monday to mark the 50-day countdown to the tournament, showed how focused the co-hosts already are. No one knows the stage better than Kaur and what it is to tame the formidable Australia, having played one of the great ICC ODI World Cup knocks - a swashbuckling 171 in 2017 that helped India trounce Meg Lanning's team in the semi-final. In many ways, India's women in blue seek to draw inspiration from England's Lionesses - their football team that beat serial winners Germany in Euro 2022 in front of a capacity home crowd at Wembley. It marked an end to England's decades of wait for a major football trophy - men or women - to come home. Cricket in India is commercially just as booming as football in England. While the Indian men's team holds an impressive record, having won four World Cups, the women are yet to win silverware. The Australian women's cricket team are world beaters. The Aussies will come to India-Sri Lanka - Colombo hosts Pakistan's matches in the competition - as winners of three of the last five WCs, and seven-time winners in the 12 ODI editions played so far. "I still remember that knock (against Australia) - it was very special. A lot changed for me personally after that," Kaur said in a panel discussion. "At the time, I didn't fully realise what had happened, but when we returned to India after losing the final (to England), the number of people waiting and cheering us was truly remarkable." Among those cheering for Kaur and the Indian team on arrival at the Mumbai airport was Jemimah Rodrigues, then an aspiring India cricketer. "I was 16-and-a-half years old, holding an India flag to welcome our team. They were very tired, because they came so close and yet it (trophy) remained so far. I could see (from outside), the whole bunch of players went back in after seeing the big crowd because they were not prepared for so many people," Rodrigues said. Mandhana said the first thought that came to her mind was "they would all hit us because we couldn't win the World Cup." Rodrigues, now an established middle-order batter in the national team, felt the airport arrival area packed with fans at 5.30 am to receive a national team that had lost a hard-fought final eight years ago was the turning point in the India women's cricket story. It's now on Kaur-led India to put up a strong show, which could make the 2025 World Cup a game-changer. Improved professionalism thanks to the Women's Premier League, rising popularity reflected in packed houses for bilateral matches in venues like Mumbai and Bengaluru and a national team sharpening rough edges like in fielding all promise a strong show. India have had a stellar run in ODIs this year with comfortable wins over Ireland, West Indies, a tri-series triumph over South Africa and Sri Lanka, and recently an away series win over England. In 21-year-old Kranti Goud India now has a fast bowler of quality. Goud's six-wicket haul in England was hailed by Kaur as a great achievement. "We've been dying for a fast bowler like you," she had said. The eight-team women's tournament is being played in the same format as the 2023 men's ODI World Cup where a round robin stage is followed by the semis and final. With India on the road for all home venues - Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, Indore and Guwahati - if they do get on a roll, they are sure to boost support for themselves and in turn the standing for women's cricket. "I hope we will give our 100% and try to break that final barrier that we have all been waiting for," Kaur said. "The kind of cricket we've played over the last couple of years gives us a lot of confidence." ICC chairman, Jay Shah, said: "The return of the tournament to India comes at a defining moment for the women's game, setting the stage for a truly world-class tournament that will further elevate the sport's global stature," said ICC chairman Jay Shah....