Australia have marched right into a seventh straight women’s T20 World Cup last however solely after a dramatic five-run win over India of their last-four encounter in Cape City.
The champions held their nerve within the demise overs as India threatened a sensation on Thursday after Beth Mooney’s 54 and Meg Lanning’s unbeaten 49 had helped set the underdogs a formidable 173 chase at Newlands.
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However a freak runout of Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and high-quality demise bowling from spinners Jess Jonassen and Ashleigh Gardner, with India needing 20 to win, enabled Australia to eke out the win that takes them to Sunday’s last towards both England or South Africa.
India have been cruising to victory within the 15th over when Kaur, dominating on 52 from 34, when Kaur’s bat jammed within the pitch whereas trying to scamper by the crease for a second run, leaving her brief when Aussie wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy took the bails off in a flash.
The Indian skipper threw her bat throughout the outfield in fury whereas making the lengthy stroll again to the dugout, and the sport was flipped on its head afterwards.
“Cannot really feel unluckier than this,” a devastated Kaur mentioned after the match.
“We acquired the momentum again… to lose from there, we weren’t anticipating this. The best way I acquired run out, cannot be unluckier than that.
“It was undoubtedly a disappointment as a result of the way in which I used to be batting, possibly that was the one probability I may get out. In any other case, the way in which I used to be hitting the ball, I used to be taking this innings till the tip.”
Participant of the match Ash Gardner mentioned it was a flashpoint second within the sport.
“It (Harmanpreet’s wicket) was an enormous momentum-switcher for us. It is most of these moments that you actually need to leap on,” Gardner mentioned.
“That was most likely one of many turning factors within the sport.”
Gardner’s earlier quickfire 31 to go together with her two wickets had additionally given urgency to Australia’s innings as they ended on 4-172 after captain Lanning opted to bat first.
Darcie Brown’s 2-18 then additionally proved pivotal as Australia moved to inside one win of a 3rd straight world T20 title and their sixth crown in seven editions.
“As we speak we most likely had no proper to win it – at one level there, they have been cruising,” Gardner mentioned.
“That simply reveals the way in which we combat as a crew. That is what we do greatest; when our backs have been towards the wall, we scrap actually onerous and we discover a means.”
Australia acquired off to a dream begin with the ball as Megan Schutt and Gardner took out India’s openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, respectively, earlier than Grace Harris and Alyssa Healy mixed to expire Yastika Bhatia to go away India on 3-28.
However maintaining with the required charge, captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who had fever within the hours main as much as the semi-final, launched India’s restoration with a wonderful 52, serving to them gallop to 3-93 on the midway level, 24 greater than Australia on the identical juncture.
However with 80 wanted off 60, India’s threatening 69-run, 40-ball fourth-wicket stand between Harmanpreet and Jemimah Rodrigues ended upon the reintroduction of Brown.
An unsuccessful ramp off Brown’s shock brief ball over the keeper ended Rodrigues’ 24-ball 43.
Healy had endured a forgettable first half behind the stumps, dropping Harmanpreet on 36 and 37 within the house of 4 balls throughout overs 13 and 14.
One ball after reaching her fifty, although, the 33-year-old captain’s preventing knock ended within the cruellest style as Mooney’s rocket throw from deep on the wicketkeeper’s finish caught Harmanpreet in need of her floor.
With 39 off 30 wanted for India to drag off an upset, Brown’s one-run last over swung the momentum again Australia’s means.
The 20-year-old took out the final of the opposition’s acknowledged batters, Richa Ghosh, for a 17-ball 14 as a relaxed McGrath settled beneath a skier at long-on.
Ellyse Perry makes a freakish dive to save lots of a sure boundary.
Sharma and Rana’s 22-run seventh-wicket stand stored India within the hunt, however Australia gained vital moments to drag issues again, like boundary-rider Ellyse Perry’s two diving saves of two runs every – within the 10th over after which within the 19th.
With the bat, Australia have been scratchy for probably the most half and benefited from India’s sloppy fielding.
Lanning, dropped on one and 9, struck six boundaries in her 34-ball knock, her highest rating of the event.
“That is without doubt one of the greatest wins I have been concerned in, to combat again after not taking part in our greatest cricket in all three aspects,” Lanning mentioned.
– With AAP
