In a tense and injury-ridden match, Australia managed to edge past India by nine runs in the Women’s T20 World Cup, placing India’s semi-final hopes in jeopardy.
Nearly 15,000 enthusiastic fans filled the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday, witnessing an unforgettable ‘injury derby.’
India’s troubles began before the match when leg-spinner Asha Sobhana injured her knee just before the national anthems were sung. This incident compounded Australia’s challenges, as their skipper Alyssa Healy was already on crutches due to a foot injury, and fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck had dislocated her shoulder.
Despite these setbacks, Australia’s fighting spirit showcased the resilience that separates champions from mere contenders.
Chasing a target of 152 runs on a tricky pitch, India began their innings cautiously. Shafali Verma tried to accelerate the scoring but was dismissed by Ashleigh Gardner. Smriti Mandhana fell victim to her RCB teammate Sophie Molineux’s left-arm spin on her very first ball, leaving India in a precarious position at 2 wickets down within the first few overs.
Megan Schutt continued her impressive World Cup form, dismissing the dangerous Jemimah Rodrigues, which left India reeling at 3 wickets down for just 24 runs. Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma fought back with a 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket, bringing some hope to the Indian camp.
As the game progressed, both batters found it increasingly difficult to score as Australia tightened their grip on the match. Despite a dropped catch that could have ended Deepti’s innings, she eventually fell to Molineux, who redeemed herself for the earlier mistake. Pooja Vastrakar’s brief stint at the crease provided Harmanpreet with much-needed support as the innings drew to a close. India needed 10 runs off the final two balls, but the mounting pressure proved too much, and they fell just short.
Earlier, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. Tahlia McGrath aimed to put India under pressure with a challenging total. The Australian innings had a shaky start, losing Beth Mooney and Georgia Wareham in quick succession. McGrath promoted herself in the batting order to stabilize the innings alongside Grace Harris, who had to adjust her aggressive style to build a solid partnership.
Despite several lifelines offered by the Indian fielders, including a dropped catch from Harmanpreet that let McGrath off the hook, Australia managed to put together a competitive score of 151. Ellyse Perry contributed a quick 32 runs off 23 balls, while a late surge from Phoebe Litchfield helped elevate Australia’s total just beyond India’s reach.
