ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, IND vs AUS: Harmanpreet Kaur's 57 off 47 goes in vain as India lost to Australia in must-win game. India's fate rely in Pakistan's hand for semi-finals.
Brief scores: Australia Women 151/8 (Grace Harris 40, Renuka Singh 2/24) beat India Women 142/9 (Harmanpreet Kaur 54 not out, Annabel Sutherland 2/22) by 9 runs.
Australia women defeated India women by 9 runs at Sharjah on Sunday to remain unbeaten in the league phase of the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The loss has left India hoping Pakistan to beat New Zealand on Monday to qualify for the semi-finals.
Talking point from IND vs AUS game
It was a must-win game for India, and the target was chaseable. India needed a good start from the top order. However, the openers could not get off the blocks, putting pressure on the middle order to rescue the team once again. The No 3 batter, Jemmiah Rodrigues, also had a poor outing, putting pressure on captain Harmanpreet Kaur to lead the chase. However, Harmanpreet could not take the team past the finishing line this time.
Australia post a competitive total of 151
Choosing to bat first, Australia Women posted a competitive score of 151/8 against India. Australia had a slow start, losing two quick wickets in the third over to Renuka Singh. The Indian medium-pacer had opener Beth Mooney dismissed via a catch by Radha Yadav. Renuka then got an inswinger to rap on the pads of Georgia Wareham and was declared out LBW. But replays showed the ball would have missed the leg stump. The other opener, Grace Harris, and captain Tahlia McGrath rebuilt the innings with a stand of 62 runs before the skipper was stumped off Radha’s bowling for 32.
Harris departed soon after that for a run-a-ball 40 off Deepti Sharma’s bowling. All-rounder Ellyse Perry then played a cameo of 23-ball 32 with 2 fours and 1 six to help Australia reach 151. The last five overs yielded 50 runs for Australia. Renuka was the most successful bowler for India with 2/24.
Read More: Women's T20 World Cup 2024, IND vs SL: India beat SL, jump to second spot; take NRR to 0.576
Captain’s knock goes in vain
India had a cautious start to the chase, reaching 26 in 3.2 overs before Shafali Verma holed out in the long on for 20 off 13 balls with 2 fours and 1 six. Ashleigh Gardner took the wicket of Shafali for the fifth time in T20Is. Smriti Mandhana didn’t last long, being dismissed LBW for 6 to Sophie Molineux. When Jemmiah Rodrigues fell for 16, India looked in great trouble at 47/3. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma then resurrected the innings with a stand of 63 runs but took 9 overs. With the asking rate climbing up to 10 runs per over, Deepti fell trying to force the pace, holing out in the deep for 25-ball 29. Richa Ghosh then ran herself out looking for a non-existent single.
However, captain Harmanpreet stood tall in the chase, taking the onus on herself to go for the big hits. With 40 needed off 18 balls, she struck two fours off Gardner’s over to bring down the equation to 28 off 12. The 19th over yielded 14 runs, with Harmanpreet and Pooja Vastrakar getting a boundary each. With 14 needed off 6 balls, India ran out of gas, losing four wickets to be restricted to 142/9 and lose the match by 9 runs.
Statistical highlights from IND vs AUS, T20 WC 2024
Harmanpreet has stuck the joint most fours in the ongoing World T20 with 17 hits to the fence.
Shafali Varma has fallen to Aussie Ashleigh Gardner for the fifth time in T20Is.
Australia Women's final tally of 151-8 is the joint-highest T20I team score at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Renuka Singh is the joint third-highest wicket-taker in the ongoing World T20 with 7 wickets. She has taken at least a wicket in India’s matches so far.
Australia Women have posted their 11th consecutive win in T20Is, dating since January 2024.
Australia's win over India in T20Is has extended to 26 out of 35 games, with just 7 losses.
Harmanpreet Kaur is now the second-highest run-getter in the ongoing Women’s World T20, aggregating 150, at an average of 150 with 2 fifties. She has been dismissed only once in 4 innings.
What’s next
India’s hopes now rest on the outcome of Monday’s match between New Zealand and Pakistan. If Pakistan wins the encounter against New Zealand, then three teams will be tied on four points. The team with the better net run rate will qualify for the semis. New Zealand will qualify if they just beat Pakistan to reach 6 points from 4 games.
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