AUCKLAND: Australia’s top-order batter Meg Lanning shone with the bat as she scored a brilliant 97 to power her side beat India by six wickets and book the semi-final berth in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup.
Set to chase 278, in the rain-affected match, Lanning led the way in the run chase; scoring a magnificent 97 as Australia comfortably steered to the victory in the last over.
Australian openers Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes provided a solid start to the former champions in the run chase. The pair put on a splendid 121-runs opening partnership. Both the batters were looking solid until Sneh Rana managed to dismiss Healey in the 20th over.
Healy scored a quickfire 72 off 65 balls, laced with nine boundaries. Soon after Healy’s dismissal, Haynes also made her way back in the next over as Pooja Vastarakar struck with the ball to provide back to back dismissals to her side.
The left-handed batter missed on his well-deserved half-century by a mere seven runs as she scored 43 off 53 balls with the help of five boundaries.
Australia’s star with the bat Lanning then put on an important 103-runs partnership with Ellyse Perry to anchor the run chase. Perry, who was struggling to get going perished in the 42nd over as Pooja struck again for the team in blue. She managed to 28 off 51 balls with the help of a boundary.
Lanning then remained unlucky as she missed her well-deserved century by a mere three runs as Meghna Singh managed to dismiss her for 97 in the 49th over. The right-handed batter top-scored for the side with 97 off 107 balls; smashing 13 boundaries.
For India, Pooja made two scalps, while Meghna and Sneh struck out a batter each.
Batting first, India managed to score 277/7 in the allotted 50 overs, thanks to the fifties from Yastika Bhatia, Mithali Raj, and Harmanpreet Kaur.
The side was to a poor start as they lost their first two wickets for a mere 28. Bhatia and the skipper Mithali then anchored the innings with a brilliant 130-runs partnership for the third wicket.
The pair appeared firm and was scoring runs at a decent rate before Darcie Brown picked up an important wicket of Bhatia. She scored 59 off 83 balls, laced with six boundaries.
Mithali, on the other hand, top-scored for her side as she 68 off 96 balls with the help of four boundaries and a six. Following her departure, Kaur stood firm and kept the scoreboard ticking, while Pooja also chipped in with a crucial knock of 34. The former remained unbeaten on 57 including six boundaries.
For Australia, Brown led the bowling chart with three wickets, while Alana King bagged two. Jess Jonassen, on the other hand, made one scalp.
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