ICC Women's T20 World Cup Match 18 - Australia beat India to seal their place in the semi-finals

Australia beat India to seal their place in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

Match Summary

India Women vs Australia Women, Match 18

India Women 142/9 (20 ov)

Australia Women 151/8 (20 ov)

Result - Australia Women won by 9 runs

SCORECARD 

 

Match Analysis

Harmanpreet Kaur’s superb 54* saw India go agonisingly close to a tournament-saving win over defending champions Australia, with Kaur’s side sliding to a nine-run defeat and leave them needing a big helping hand from neighbours Pakistan to qualify for the semi-finals.

Kaur had rebuilt for India as they looked to chase down 152 to win, and accelerated to her half-century to set up a final over where 14 runs were required.

But four wickets fell in Annabel Sutherland’s final over, including two run outs, as India and Kaur fell short of the winning post.

Earlier, Renuka Singh (2/24) and Deepti Sharma (2/28) starred in a strong bowling showing from India, but the depth of Australia’s batting talent nevertheless steered them to an impressive 151/8 from their 20 overs.

Grace Harris, coming into the side in place of the injured captain Alyssa Healy, top-scored with 40 (41 balls), while there were valuable contributions through the lower middle order, with stand-in skipper Tahlia McGrath (32) and Ellyse Perry (32) the biggest contributors.

The result means that India can only finish in the top two in Group A if Pakistan beat New Zealand on Monday by a narrow-enough margin not to move into second themselves on NRR.

Australia are the first team to seal a place in the semi-finals, having won all four of their group matches.

India were pegged back after a decent start with the bat as Shafali Verma got her team off to a flier with a flurry in the powerplay. But her promising knock of 20 (from 13 balls) came to an abrupt end when she was caught off Ash Gardner.

And fellow opener Smriti Mandhana also fell in the powerplay, trapped lbw by Sophie Molineux to end a patient contribution of 6 (12).

India closed the powerplay with the score on 41/2, with Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur out in the middle.

But Rodrigues soon joined the openers back in the dugout, caught for 16 (12), and India needed a big second half of the innings with the score at 67/3 at drinks.

The run rate kept on rising, but Deepti Sharma and Kaur ensured that the game went long.

When Molineux returned to remove Deepti for 29 from 25, it looked like the chance of an Indian win was gone.

But captain Kaur had other ideas, reaching her half-century and setting up a dramatic final over with 14 runs required to snatch victory.

A miscued shot from the India skipper off the first ball of the over saw her run a single and share the responsibilities with her teammates.

But that gamble did not pay off as India lost four wickets in a dramatic Sutherland over.

Pooja Vastrakar was cleaned up by a full delivery, with new better Arundhati Reddy run out looking to get Kaur back on strike.

Shreyanka Patil was run out as the batting pair tried to steal an extra single off a wide, and the match was finished up when Radha Yadav was trapped lbw first ball off the fifth legal delivery of the over.

Kaur finished stranded on 54* from 47 balls, and hung her head in disappointment after ultimately failing to pull off a Sharjah miracle.

 

Earlier, Australia’s stand-in captain McGrath won the toss and decided to bat first against India at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

But it was India who enjoyed the better of the opening stages, as Renuka Singh struck twice in two balls to remove Beth Mooney (2) and Georgia Wareham (0) to leave Australia in need of a rebuild.

It could have been an even better start for India, with new opener Grace Harris appearing to edge a flick down the leg side, but Richa Ghosh not able to hold on as she moved across.

But the rebuild did come, as Australia showcased their impressive batting depth.

The defending champions reached 37/2 at the end of the powerplay, with Harris and McGrath leading the recovery. And the partnership accelerated towards the midway point of the innings to leave Australia with a solid platform at 65/2.

A fine stumping by Ghosh off Yadav accounted for the dangerous McGrath (32 from 26), and Harris, up to a new role as opener, had played the longest innings in her storied T20I career when she eventually departed for 40 from 41, dismissed by Sharma.

But Australia’s long and talented batting line-up meant the quality kept on coming.

Ellyse Perry kept up the momentum with a fine 32 from 23 balls, while Ashleigh Gardner contributed a run-a-ball six before the scoring rate exploded at the back end.

The talented all-rounder Annabel Sutherland showed her quality with 10 from just 6 balls before being cleaned up by Shreyanka Patil in the final over, with Sophie Molineux (0) run out off the very next ball.

Yet Phoebe Litchfield, who India thought they had dismissed when she reviewed an lbw off a reverse sweep, added a final flourish to boost the score to 151/8. Litchfield ended unbeaten on 15 from 9 balls, finishing with a six.

 

                                  

Match Stats

Australia Women Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Beth Mooney - 2.4 ov), 2-17 (Georgia Wareham - 2.5 ov), 3-79 (Tahlia McGrath - 11.5 ov), 4-92 (Grace Harris - 13.2 ov), 5-101 (Ashleigh Gardner - 14.6 ov), 6-134 (Ellyse Perry - 18.3 ov), 7-145 (Annabel Sutherland - 19.4 ov), 8-145 (Sophie Molineux - 19.5 ov)

India Women Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Beth Mooney - 2.4 ov), 2-17 (Georgia Wareham - 2.5 ov), 3-79 (Tahlia McGrath - 11.5 ov), 4-92 (Grace Harris - 13.2 ov), 5-101 (Ashleigh Gardner - 14.6 ov), 6-134 (Ellyse Perry - 18.3 ov), 7-145 (Annabel Sutherland - 19.4 ov), 8-145 (Sophie Molineux - 19.5 ov)

 

 

Playing XIs

India Women  

• Shafali Verma
• Smriti Mandhana
• Harmanpreet Kaur(C)
• Jemimah Rodrigues
• Richa Ghosh(WK)
• Deepti Sharma
• Pooja Vastrakar
• Arundhati Reddy
• Shreyanka Patil
• Asha Sobhana
• Renuka Thakur

Australia Women  

• Beth Mooney(WK)
• Grace Harris
• Ellyse Perry
• Ashleigh Gardner
• Phoebe Litchfield
• Tahlia McGrath(C)
• Georgia Wareham
• Annabel Sutherland
• Sophie Molineux
• Megan Schutt
• Darcie Brown

 

Match Details:

Date: Sunday, October 13, 2024 15:00

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

Toss: Australia Women elected to bat