Let's dance: Aussies book their date with destiny

After 766 days and seemingly endless questions about what it would mean to play in a T20 World Cup final at the MCG, Australia captain Meg Lanning can finally say it.

She is going to play in a T20 World Cup final at the MCG.

Fittingly, Sunday's decider will be a repeat of the tournament's blockbuster opener between hosts Australia and first-time finalists India.

That match at Sydney Showground Stadium – which India won by 17 runs after pint-sized leg-spinner Poonam Yadav ran riot – attracted the biggest crowd of the event to date, and a record for a standalone women's match in Australia: 13,432.

It is a number that will be dwarfed come Sunday.

"Thank goodness it's here," a relieved Lanning laughed after one of the more tense days of her career, which ended in Australia sealed a five-win DLS semi-final win over South Africa.

"We've had to fight extremely hard to win the semi and get through.

"We never came into this World Cup just thinking it was going to happen and it was going to be easy.

"We knew we were going to be in for a fight, and that's exactly what's happened.

"I'm pretty happy that March 8 has come around. Now we can just talk about India and Australia and what a great game it's going to be."

From the moment the MCG was unveiled as the venue for the 2020 women's tournament decider on January 30, 2018 – and since it was announced the International Cricket Council and Cricket Australia hoped to break the current world record of 90,185 for the largest crowd at a standalone women's sporting event – the Australian players have been asked about this one day.

Amid the buzz leading into this World Cup, the Australian squad was furiously trying to keep their own minds on the immediate tasks at hand – as the cliché goes, taking it one game at a time – but March 8 has been omnipresent throughout.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to be part of a pretty life-changing experience for the global game," Australian opener Beth Mooney said in the wake of Thursday's semi-final.

"Cricket's been a part of the Australian public's life for a very long time and they have a knack of getting behind us, when there is adversity thrown at us and things like that.

"So it's really exciting to think the MCG could be full of people, some cheering for us, some cheering for India, but also cheering for the game and wanting to be part of something pretty special."

As of last week, more than 60,000 tickets had already been sold for the final, which coincides with International Women's Day.

Australia's journey to the 'Big Dance' has far been from easy – they lost their opening game to India, had perilously lose to a shock upset against Sri Lanka, advanced to the knockouts with a thrilling four-run win over New Zealand, all before the weather gods miraculously allowed their semi-final to go ahead.

Never mind the tournament ending injuries to Tayla Vlaeminck and Ellyse Perry.

Image Id: C358948BD231431180842357BB43E91A Image Caption: An emotional Ellyse Perry celebrates with her teammates // Getty

"It seems like it has sort of fallen into place a little bit, and Sunday is going to be massive," Lanning said.

"We're really pleased we get the opportunity to be a part of it.

"So hopefully there is 90,000 people there. Everything's been done that could possibly be done, and we're just really pumped we get to be out in the middle and play in front of everyone.

"I've been to the MCG when there's 100,000 fans there, and I've been in the stands, and the atmosphere is absolutely incredible, and I've sort of had goose bumps watching.

"To think that we'll be out in the middle experiencing that, that's going to be really exciting and such a great thing to be a part of."

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

February 21:India beat Australia by 17 runs

February 24: Australia beat Sri Lanka by five wickets

February 27: Australia beat Bangladesh by 86 runs 

March 2: Australia beat New Zealand by four runs

March 5: Semi-final 1 & Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final: India v Australia, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* The Final will be broadcast on Fox Cricket, Kayo and the Nine Network