India on the brink after nail-biting final-over defeat to Australia

AUSTRALIA BEAT India to seal their place in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, winning by nine runs despite a phenomenal knock from Harmanpreet Kaur that took the game to a dramatic final over.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s superb 54* saw India go agonisingly close to a tournament-saving win over defending champions Australia, with Kaur’s side sliding to a nine-run defeat, leaving them needing a big helping hand from neighbours Pakistan to qualify for the semi-finals.

Kaur had rebuilt for India as they looked to chase down 152 to win and accelerated to her half-century to set up a final over where 14 runs were required.

But four wickets fell in Annabel Sutherland’s final over, including two run-outs, as India and Kaur fell short of the winning post.

Earlier, Renuka Singh (2/24) and Deepti Sharma (2/28) starred in a strong bowling showing from India, but the depth of Australia’s batting talent nevertheless steered them to an impressive 151/8 from their 20 overs.

Grace Harris, coming into the team in place of injured captain Alyssa Healy, top-scored with 40 (41 balls) while there were valuable contributions throughout the middle and lower order, with stand-in skipper Tahlia McGrath (32) and Ellyse Perry (32) the biggest contributors.

The result means that India can only finish in the top two in Group A if Pakistan beat New Zealand today by a narrow-enough margin not to move into second themselves on NRR. A win for the White Ferns in that game will consign India to a group-stage exit.

Australia are the first team to seal a place in the semi-finals, having won all four of their group matches.

India were pegged back after a decent start with the bat as Shafali Verma got her team off to a flier with a flurry in the powerplay. But her promising knock of 20 (from 13 balls) came to an abrupt end when she was caught off Ash Gardner.

Fellow opener Smriti Mandhana also fell in the powerplay, trapped lbw by Sophie Molineux to end a patient contribution of 6 (12).

India closed the powerplay with the score on 41/2, with Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur out in the middle.

But Rodrigues soon joined the openers back in the dugout, caught for 16 (12), leaving India needing a big second half of the innings with the score at 67/3 at drinks.

The run rate kept on rising, but Deepti Sharma and Kaur ensured that the game went long.

When Molineux returned to remove Deepti for 29 from 25, it looked like the chance of an Indian win was gone.

But captain Kaur had other ideas, reaching her half-century and setting up a dramatic final over with 14 runs required to snatch victory.

A miscued shot from the India skipper off the first ball of the over saw her run a single and share the responsibilities with her teammates.

But that gamble did not pay off as India lost four wickets in a dramatic death-bowling effort from Sutherland.

Pooja Vastrakar was cleaned up by a full delivery, with new batter Arundhati Reddy run out looking to get Kaur back on strike.

Shreyanka Patil was run out as the batting pair tried to steal an extra single off a wide, and the match was finished up when Radha Yadav was trapped lbw first ball off the fifth legal delivery of the over.

Kaur finished stranded on 54* from 47 balls and hung her head in disappointment after ultimately failing to pull off a Sharjah miracle.

Courtesy of icc-cricket.com