We have ourselves the first semi-finalists of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Unsurprisingly, the defending champions Australia have been ruthless, winning all four of their group games to punch their ticket to Dubai for the 1st semi-final. Unfortunately for India, they failed out to close out both innings, losing the mega clash in the death overs. Despite skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s vigilance, the Women in Blue fell 9 runs short.
Renuka Thakur & her new-ball exploits
Australia came into this match with a resounding win over Pakistan. However, they got two blemishes from that 9-wicket win. While Tayla Vlaeminck’s T20 World Cup campaign was over when she sustained an injury while fielding, skipper Alyssa Healy was also ruled out for their clash against India. This forced Australia to change their top order against India, who exploited the weakness.
Renuka Singh Thakur continued her sensational bowling with the new ball as she mustered two wickets in back-to-back balls. Radha Yadav, who made her way into the playing XI after the toss, grabbed a great diving catch to send back in-form Beth Mooney. On the very next ball, Australia’s plan to send Georgia Wareham at number three didn’t work as she was adjudged LBW (replays showed it was missing the stumps).
Australian middle-order did the damage
Despite a solid start from India’s fielders, some missed opportunities and errors allowed Australia to capitalize on their batting prowess. Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry were particularly impressive, scoring at a rapid pace and putting pressure on the Indian bowlers. Late contributions from Phoebe Litchfield and Annabel Sutherland further boosted Australia’s total.
India’s bowling attack faced a tough challenge against the Australian batting lineup. Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh Thakur managed to pick up two wickets each, but Australia’s aggressive approach and effective partnerships kept the scoreboard moving. The decision to bowl Shreyanka Patil in the final over, despite having other options like Pooja Vastrakar and Arundhati Reddy, raised some eyebrows.
Top-order collapse for India
When India began their run-chase, it looked like they had an eye for the Net Run Rate as well. Shafali Varma went berserk, taking an aerial route and smashing two fours and a six within the first three overs. Australian batters instantly got their lengths right and then trouble started to brew for India. Shafali was holed out, Smriti Mandhana joined her in the pavilion and Jemimah Rodrigues was dismissed. Unlike Mandhana, Jemimah looked in great touch, manoeuvring herself to find boundaries regularly.
Harmanpreet Kaur: The Warrior
Mandhana’s end brought in Harmanpreet Kaur in the middle. The Indian skipper struggled for runs at the start as she made just 19 runs in her first 25 balls. middle overs proved to be a challenging phase for India, as Australia’s disciplined bowling and pressure tactics limited their scoring opportunities. Kaur displayed her fighting spirit, counterattacking with some powerful shots. However, Australia’s bowlers, including Megan Schutt and Annabel Sutherland, maintained their composure and executed their plans effectively. Regardless, it was Harmanpreet, who kept India in the game, smashing 35 runs in her last 22 balls. She found some support from Deepti, with whom the 35-year-old stitched a 63-run stand.
Death over brilliance by Australia
Towards the end of the innings, Kaur and Deepti Sharma launched a counterattack, hitting several boundaries and bringing India closer to the target. However, a crucial dismissal of Deepti Sharma by Alana King shifted the momentum back in Australia’s favor. In the final over, Kaur needed to score 11 runs to win the match. Despite her best efforts, Australia’s Sophie Molineux managed to keep the pressure on, and Kaur was unable to find the boundary she needed.
Ultimately, Australia’s disciplined bowling and Kaur’s valiant efforts fell short, resulting in a narrow victory for Australia. The defeat has significant implications for India’s chances of qualifying for the semifinals, as their fate now depends on the outcome of the Pakistan vs New Zealand match. If Pakistani women draw a defeat against the Kiwis, India will be eliminated. However, in case the arch-rivals script a win, Harmanpreet and her women will be facing the table-toppers from Group B.
Women’s T20 World Cup Points Table
| Team (Group A) | P | W | L | NR | Points | NRR |
| AUSW (Q) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2.223 |
| INDW | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0.322 |
| NZW | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.282 |
| PAKW | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -0.488 |
| SLW (E) | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -2.173 |
IND vs AUS – Women’s T20 World Cup Match summary
Australia 151/8 (Grace Harris 40, Renuka Singh 2/24) beat India 142/9 (Harmanpreet kaur 54*, Annabel Sutherland 2/22)
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