“Well dear, again that heartbreak”- Unhappy Twitter fans react as Australia shatter India’s World Cup dream again
All-rounder Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana tried their best to take the score past the target but fell short of just five runs and Meg Lanning and co. advanced to yet another final to the heartbreak of the Women in Blue.
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IND-W vs AUS-W
India displayed a fighting knock while chasing a formidable target of 173 on Thursday (February 23). It was the India skipper again, Harmanpreet Kaur, who, despite keeping quiet in the Group stage matches, showed how a captain plays in a pressure situation. She was the only hope for India. But the defending champions, Meg Lanning and co. once again secured a berth in the final. Deepti Sharma tried to drive the score to the target but eventually, India fell short of just five runs at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.
Chasing the 173-run target, India lost quick wickets. Their top three had headed back to the dressing room before the powerplay. Australia were superior in all departments, be it in their batting, bowling, or fielding.
But they had to wait for a longer time to get another wicket because Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur were unshakable for a while; they even stitched a 50-plus-run stand between them. Jemimah played a quick knock of 43 runs off 24 balls, smashing six boundaries, at a brilliant strike rate of 179.17. But unfortunately, Darcie Brown, to the relief of the Aussies, got rid of this dangerous fish. Brown delivered a short one which Rodrigues attempted to cut, only to give the catch to Alyssa Healy.
Now Harmanpreet Kaur had all the responsibilities on her shoulders. She was even joined by the hard-hitter Richa Ghosh. But the Indian skipper became a victim of Ashleigh Gardner’s rocket throw; replays showed she was short as her bat got stuck in the ground. Harmanpreet played a captain’s innings, scoring 52 runs off 34 balls, with the help of six boundaries and a maximum at a strike rate of 152.94.
In the next over, Richa Ghosh became Brown’s other prey. All-rounder Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana tried their best to take the score past the target but fell short of just five runs and Meg Lanning and co. restricted them to 167/8, winning the match by five runs to advance to yet another final to the heartbreak of the Women in Blue.
Related: Can Harmanpreet Kaur and co. avenge last T20 World Cup final defeat against mighty Australia?
Check how Twitteratis reacted to India’s defeat against Australia in the semifinal
Earlier, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. India’s poor fielding was the reason why players like Beth Mooney and Meg Lanning could take Australia to 172/4. Mooney once again played a heroic knock of 54 off 37, while Lanning (49* off 34) needed just one run to complete her half-century, not to forget, Ashleigh Gardner’s quickfire of 31 off 18 balls.
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Gouri Das
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