Overview
In a thrilling encounter at Sharjah, Australia defeats India by 9 runs, setting up a tense finish. Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, scoring 152 runs in their 20 overs. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s strong innings wasn’t enough as India fell short of the target, leaving their semifinal hopes hinging on the upcoming clash between Pakistan and New Zealand.
Australia’s Early Struggles
With Alyssa Healy absent, Grace Harris captained the team and opened the batting alongside Beth Mooney. Harris started strong with a boundary on her second ball, but Mooney struggled. India’s Renuka Thakur made an impact early on, taking two quick wickets—Mooney and Georgia Wareham—leaving Australia in a precarious position at 17 for 2.
Crucial Partnership: Harris and McGrath
Grace Harris and Tahlia McGrath then steadied the innings, forming a vital partnership of 62 runs. Their efforts helped Australia recover from a rocky start. However, McGrath was stumped by Richa Ghosh off Radha Yadav’s bowling in the 11th over.
Strong Finish by Australia
Elyse Perry added crucial runs towards the end, scoring 32 off 23 balls, helping Australia reach a total of 152 runs. This score marked the highest ever recorded at the Sharjah pitch. For India, Renuka Thakur and Dipti Sharma each took 2 wickets, while Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, and Pooja Vastrakar claimed 1 wicket each.
India’s Chase Begins
Indian openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana began positively, reaching 25 without loss in the first three overs. Shafali scored 20 runs off 13 balls before being dismissed by Ashleigh Gardner. Following Shafali’s departure, Smriti and Jemimah Rodrigues were dismissed quickly, leaving India struggling at 67 for 3 at the halfway mark.
Australia defeats India by 9 runs
Despite the setbacks, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur fought valiantly, scoring an unbeaten 54 off 47 balls. Her partnership of 93 runs with Deepti Sharma kept India in the chase, but the team fell 9 runs short, requiring 15 runs off the final over but unable to close the gap.
Conclusion
Australia’s Sophie Molineux was named Player of the Match for her impressive bowling figures of 2 for 32. India’s chances of reaching the semifinals now depend on the result of the upcoming match between Pakistan and New Zealand.
