Unstoppable India overcome Australia to continue dominance
Stand-alone Women’s World T20 tournament…
– Mandhana, spinners outstanding
By Brandon Corlette
The youngest team in the tournament, India, have administered a 48-run defeat on the mighty Aussies in the penultimate match held at Guyana’s National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Attacking the Australian spin attack, India posted 167 for 8 in the first innings, and restricted Australia to 119, made in 19.4 overs.
Smirti Mandhana’s elegant 83, Harmanpreet’s 43, and the efforts of the Indian spinners ensured that their team remained undefeated moving into the semi- finals.
With over 2000 tickets scanned early in the day, not even the strong wind blowing across the National Stadium at Providence could dampen the Guyanese public’s enthusiasm to witness the final day of high-profile women’s cricket.
India’s skipper Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and opted to bat. India were without Mithali Raj due to illness, hence the fresh opener Taniya Bhatia accompanying the destructive Smriti Mandhana. Bhatia (2) was removed early in the innings, with the score on 5 after two overs.
Teenage batting sensation Jemima Rodrigues then joined Mandhana, but was dismissed by Kimmince for six. Mandhana continued to caress the cricket ball with exquisite timing as the tournament’s leading six-hitter, Harmanpreet Kaur, joined her to rally India’s innings.
Smriti Mandhana continued to bat with a positive mindset, and in the process she became the second fastest Indian batter to score 1000 runs — nine innings behind Mithali Raj. The elegant left-hander Mandhana later reached her first half-century
With a group of players averaging 24 years, Team India have completed four consecutive victories, and head into the World T20 semis with enormous confidence
of the tournament with a sweep shot.
Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Kaur continued to hit sixes with ease. In Harmanpreet’s hardcore innings, she hit three sixes and three fours before being dismissed for 43 by Delissa Kimmince. Harmanpreet Kaur and Mandhana shared a 68-run partnership that put Australian under immense pressure.
Mandhana continued to bat until she was removed in the nineteenth over for a well-played 83 by one of Australia’s leading bowler, Megan Schutt. The Australian bowlers had managed to halt India’s scoring rate, with Ellyse Perry leading the fightback. India’s final five batters managed to score just 19 runs combined as the Aussies gathered momentum at the end of the innings, when India lost eight wickets after scoring 167.
Perry was the best bowler with 3-16 in three overs, while Gardener grabbed 2-25 when Australia had completed their most ordinary bowling performance in this tournament.
Australia were forced to shift their batting line-up after Alyssa Healy had suffered a concussion earlier in the field attempting a catch. Thus regular opener Beth Mooney and Elyse Villani trotted to the crease chasing 168 for victory.
Villani was the first batter to be dismissed by Deepti Sharma, with the score on 27 after five overs. The very next ball, Sharma found herself on a hat trick, removing Mooney with a ball that shattered the stumps.
Gardener and Lanning were then at the crease, but spin continued to be the undoing of the Australians. The Aussies approached a roadblock as the Indian bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals. Perry was the only batter with substance, as she scored a fighting 39 from 28 balls. Gardener (20), Mooney (19), and Lanning (10) were the only batters to reach double figures.
Anuja Patil was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets; while Sharma, Radha Yadav and Poonam Yadav grabbed two wickets to stun the Mooney-less Australian batting line-up.
