CAPE TOWN: India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s quickfire half-century went in vain as Australia edged India by five runs to make it to the Women’s T20 World Cup final.
Set to chase 173, India fell just five runs short as they could score 167/8 in their quota of overs despite valiant knocks by their skipper Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues.
Earlier, India got off to a poor start in the run chase as the side lost three wickets for just 28 runs in the fourth over.
Following the slump, Kaur and Rodrigues attempted to anchor the run chase as they launched a counterattack on the Australian bowlers with a crucial 69-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Darcie Brown then struck in the 11th over to cease the budding partnership as she dismissed Rodrigues.
She scored 43 off 24 deliveries including six boundaries.
Kaur, on the other hand, held her ground firm and kept the scoreboard ticking before an unlucky dismissal in the 15th over brought down the curtains on her magnificent knock and rocked India’s pursuit.
Kaur remained the top-scorer for India with 52 off 34 deliveries, hitting six boundaries and a six.
Kaur’s dismissal triggered a match-defining collapse which barred India from glory despite Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 20.
Ashleigh Gardner and Brown bagged two wickets each for Australia while Jess Jonassen and Megan Schutt made one scalp each.
Opting to bat first, Australia piled a mammoth 172/4 in their allotted 20 overs at the back of brilliant knocks by Mooney and Lanning.
Earlier, Australian openers chipped in on the big stage as the pair laid a solid foundation for a big total by putting on a vital 52-run partnership before Radha Yadav provided a breakthrough to India by removing Alyssa Healy, who could score 25 off 26.
Following Healy’s dismissal, Mooney then partnered with skipper Lanning and added 36 runs for the second wicket before Deepti Sharma redeemed her dropped catch by dismissing the left-handed opener.
Mooney top-scored for Australia with 54 off 37 deliveries, laced with seven boundaries and a six.
Australia continued to dominate the Indian bowling attack despite Mooney’s dismissal as Lanning then joined hands with Ashleigh Gardener and put on a brisk 53-run partnership for the third wicket.
Gardener, who was the core aggressor of the vital third-wicket stand as she struck a quickfire 31 off just 18 deliveries and hit five boundaries.
Meanwhile, Lanning held his ground firm and carried her bat all the way through to make sure Australia get to a defendable total. She remained unbeaten on 49 off 34 deliveries; smashing four boundaries and two sixes.
Shikha Pandey led the bowling attack for India with 2/32 while Yadav and Sharma made one scalp each.
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