IND W vs AUS W T20 World Cup Highlights: Australia beat India by 5 runs, qualify for another final

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur

“Can’t be unluckier than this, to get that momentum back when me and Jemi were batting. We didn’t expect this. The way I got runout, can’t be unluckier than that. We discussed about fighting till the last ball. The result didn’t go our way, but I am happy with the way we played in this tournament. We know we have a good batting line up even if we lose early wickets. Jemi was outstanding today. Happy to see those performances. Happy to see them play their natural game. We gave those easy catches away. We can only learn from these lessons and not repeat the mistakes.”

Player of the Match: Ashleigh Gardner

“Bowling the last over, my average heart-rate is probably like 190. That just shows the way we fight as a team, and that’s what we kind of spoke about in the huddle right at the end. We probably weren’t in a winning position and that’s when this team does best. When our backs are up against the wall, we find a way and we scrap really hard and that’s what we did today with the ball. I think we set up the game really well with the bat, probably missed a few with the ball but I think that fight we showed shows the character of this team.

(Meg was telling me to) just be really clear with what I want to execute, we obviously know that they have handy batters all the way down, so it’s about being clear on what you want to do and not give any freebies. I was just trying to hit the wicket and keep the stumps in play as often as possible. Always nice spending time in the middle, spending time with Meg as well. She is always calm and keeps it simple out there. I felt with the confidence coming into this game after the couple of innings I have had throughout this World Cup, I guess I gotta take that confidence into the next game and then hopefully win in the final.”

These are just crazy numbers!

Since 2010, there's been 10 women's ODI or T20 World Cups. Australia have now got to 9 finals and can win their 8th World Cup in this period on Sunday: an extraordinary era

— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) February 23, 2023

India ran Australia close in the Commonwealth Games final and today too. But could very well have gone over the line if they had battled better in the closing stages

Tough luck Team India. #HarmanpreetKaur & #JemimahRodrigues looked like taking the game away but the Aussies fought back brilliantly & in the end India have fallen short. Harmanpreet’s runout was the turning point & India will be disappointed to miss out on the finals. #INDWvAUSW pic.twitter.com/RY06QHDrE0

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) February 23, 2023

Still a bit baffled by this Harmanpreet Kaur run out to be honest. 

Match winner at the crease and Run out in a semi-final. We have had this heartbreak before. Sad to see India out. Were running away with the game but Australia proved again why they are a v difficult side to beat. Well tried girls #INDWvAUSW pic.twitter.com/wNsVc3vb2D

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 23, 2023

Australia in Women’s T20 World Cups:

2009: Semi-Final
2010: ????
2012: ????
2014: ????
2016: Final
2018: ????
2020: ????
2023: ? (Final)

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

Australia beat India by 5 runs. Four runs from the last ball for Deepti Sharma but the job was done a ball prior. Heartbreak for India in how close they ran and could have even gone over the line despite a horrendous day in the field. An incredible fight despite the first innings, despite losing three early wickets. They can keep their heads up high with this effort. Harmanpreet and Jemimah with a superb fight alas it didn’t work out in the end

Radha Yadav is GONE!

Radha Yadav had no option but to go for it and she did. Unfortunately, there was no power on the shot and it fell comfortably into Ellyse Perry’s hands. Gardner strikes and Yadav is gone for a duck.

India need 11 runs from 2 balls

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

Double from the first two balls with Deepti Sharma on strike. Great fielding and perfect throws helping Australia out. 12 needed from 4. Need a boundary at the very least

Sneh Rana is BOWLED!

Sneh Rana comes down the track and Jonassen with a flat delivery to get the job done. Swing, a massive swing but no contact with the ball at all. Rana is gone for 11 runs from 10 balls. India need 16 runs from 6 balls

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

WHAT A SAVE FROM PERRY! Sneh Rana connects with the shot this time and it is running away to the boundary rope but for Ellyse Perry who cuts it off with a strong right hand. Two runs, two very vital runs, saved at this late stage. India need 16 runs from 7 balls

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

Two singles to start the Jonassen the over. Third one is a dot and surprises everyone as Sneh Rana moved out to wallop it but missed.

FOUR! Short delivery from Gardner, Deepti Sharma plays it wide of mid-wicket. Two fielders converge but lose the race to stop it from running away to the boundary

India are 142/6 from 17 overs, 31 needed from 18 balls

RICHA GHOSH IS OUT!

Richa Ghosh swings, desperately, but only finds the fielder in the deep. Darcie Brown has swung the match Australia’s way with crucial wickets and kept the flow of runs down. Short of length, Richa cramped for room and goes big but finds McGrath at wide long-on

Richa Ghosh c McGrath b Darcie Brown 14(17), India 135/6

Harmanpreet Kaur is run out!

Harmanpreet Kaur departs after scoring 52 runs and it comes in absurd fashion. She made the ground in a double but her bat got stuck before the crease and is run out. Her feet were in the air when Healy took the bails off. 

⚠️ First time in 5 years that Harmanpreet has been run out

India are 134/5 after 15 overs

FIFTY FOR HARMANPREET!

Back-to-back boundaries for the India skipper and she gets to the milestone in 32 balls. Richa Ghosh congratulates her captain and hugs, while her teammates are up to their feet in the dug out. 

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

EDGED AND DROPPED! Harmanpreet swings against Darcie Brown, went for a slog, gets a thick edge, luckily it was more towards where a first slip fielder would have been. Healy tried to get both hands to the right but spilled it. Not easy though

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

After 12 overs,India Women 107/4 ( Harmanpreet Kaur (C) 35 , Richa Ghosh (W) 6)

Richa Ghosh is the new batter in to try and fight this out. Her finishing skills would be extremely handy today. 9 runs from this 12th over of the chase. India need 66 runs from 48 balls. Doable if they keep wickets in check

Jemimah Rodrigues departs!

Jemimah Rodrigues is gone and she is absolutely livid with herself. Yells at herself as she walks back, hits her helmet with the bat in anger. Short slower delivery from Darcie Brown, it would have been a wide had she let it be given how much it bounced. Instead, ‘Jemi’ decided to jump and tried to ramp it over the keeper. Instead, she tickles it to Healy who completes the simple catch. Gift!

Rodrigues c Healy b Brown 43 (24), India 97/3

India looked down and out couple of overs back. Not anymore!

Harmanpreet and Jemimah have not just revived India’s hopes in a rollicking partnership, but put Aus under pressure. What seemed a one-sides game a little while back has turned into a splendid contest!

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 23, 2023

FOUR MORE! Played inside-out over extra cover. Harmanpreet Kaur gets closer to the pitch of the full delivery and sends it over the extra cover fielder. She was confident with that shot and she has good reason to be.

India are 93/3 after 10 overs, need 80 runs from 60 balls

Fifty run partnership

50 run stand between Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur. They desperately needed someone to stick around and bat through after losing those early three wickets. Bit of a mix up in getting this single but no harm done in the end as the throw came at the wrong end.

India are 80/3 after 9 overs, need 93 runs more

Yastika RUN OUT!

India are three down in four overs. Yastika comes down the wicket, flicks the full delivery from Darcie Brown straight to mid-wicket. She calls Jemimah for a quick single. Jemimah considered it and instantly turned back on seeing Harris pounce on the ball. Both Indian batters stranded at the bowling end and the throw goes to Healy who finishes the formalities. Yastika tries to get back but that was futile

Yastika run out (Harris/Healy) 4 (7)

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

FOUR! FOUR! Jemimah Rodrigues is the new batter in for India. Dropped short by Gardner, Jemimah swivels and hammers the pull on the leg-side, beats deep mid-wicket to her right. Next ball, Full and wide of off, Rodrigues smashes the drive in the gap between cover and backward point

Smriti Mandhana departs!

India go two down and lose both openers. Smriti Mandhana is late on the Ashleigh Gardner delivery. Did it get pad first or the bat? Pad it is confirms UltraEdge after Australia do take the review. Mandhana looks to slash it but is late on it and is struck pad first. 

Mandhana lbw Gardner 2 (5)

Shafali Verma is leg before!

Appeal for leg before on Shafali Verma. Umpire has a long think before raising the finger. India batters discuss whether to review and they do. No bat involved on UltraEdge. Schutt drags the length back, Shafali looks to flick it but plays around it. Review confirms it would have struck top of leg stump. Umpire’s call and Verma is gone for 9 runs

Verma lbw 9 (6)

Beth Mooney vs India

8 - This was Beth Mooney's 8th fifty (54) against #TeamIndia in women's #T20Is, no player has registered as many scores of 50+ runs against a single team in the format. Exalted.#T20WorldCup #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/olqtD6FCvk

— OptaJim (@OptaJim) February 23, 2023

Australia post 172/4, Target: 173 runs

India have been handed a stiff 173 run target with Australia putting 172/4 on the board. Meg Lanning remaining unbeaten on 49 runs at the end. Beth Mooney scoring a fifty. Ashleigh Gardner with a well-timed cameo as well. India were poor in the field and cost themselves quite a few runs. Elsewhere, poor field placements and poor deliveries didn’t help.

Last 10 overs: 103 runs

Last 2 overs: 30 runs

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

FOUR! Stray line once again from Renuka Thakur. Slower one, slogged by Lanning and it has struck the leg and gone down for four

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

After 19 overs,Australia Women 154/4 ( Meg Lanning (C) 33 , Ellyse Perry 1)

12 runs from the penultimate over by Shikha Pandey. She gets the wicket of Grace Harris with a nice variation of speed. But is struck for two boundaries from Harris and Lanning. She ends with 4-0-32-2

BOWLED!

Well bowled! Slower delivery from Shikha Pandey. Harris slogs and misses as she plays slightly early. The ball goes on to hit the middle stump. Harris gone for 7 runs

Harris b Shikha 7 (4)

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

FOUR! Grace Harris is the new batter in for Australia and she quickly gets into the act. Slower one from Shikha, Harris slogs and miscues it for a four towards square leg

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

BOWLED!

Ashleigh Gardner is bowled by Deepti Sharma for 31 runs from 18 balls. Yorker, arm ball and it has taken the off stump. Brilliant knock from Gardner to take the tempo up for Australia

Gardner b Deepti 31 (18)

FOUR! FOUR! This is dreadful for a team that had reached the previous T20 World Cup final. It is miserable for a team in the T20 World Cup semi-final. Low full toss from Renuka Thakur. Gardner sees the fine leg in and glances it past the fielder for four

Next ball, it has been muscled past wide long-off

India vs Australia Women Semi Final LIVE

FOUR! FOUR! India are bleeding runs now. Radha Yadav bowls. Gardner pulls one for four. Next ball, Gardner has thumped it and beaten the fielder

India vs Australia Women Semi Final LIVE

After 15 overs,Australia Women 113/2 ( Meg Lanning (C) 23 , Ashleigh Gardner 8)

Sneh Rana had conceded 19 runs from 3 overs. She goes for 14 runs now and her bowling figures are spoilt with that poor over

India vs Australia Women Semi Final LIVE

After 14 overs,Australia Women 99/2 ( Meg Lanning (C) 14 , Ashleigh Gardner 3)

Five runs from consecutive overs to arrest the easy flow of runs for Australia. In the past couple of overs, India’s drop in fielding effort is hurting them. May hurt them in the grand scheme of things

BETH MOONEY DEPARTS!

Beth Mooney has to walk. Slashed by Mooney, it goes into the air towards Shafali Verma. She had dropped her on 32 runs and now redeems it with this catch. Throws the ball away in equal part relief and frustration. Huge wicket but has that already hurt India

Mooney c Shafali b Shikha Pandey 54 (37)

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

FIFTY FOR BETH MOONEY!

WHAT A SHOT! Cracking shot! Full delivery and it has been scooped over short third man. 50 runs for Mooney

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

Shikha Pandey into the attack. Goes for the wide yorker, Beth Mooney reaches out to it and squeezes past backward point for a four

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

Mooney uses her feet to get to the pitch of the ball by Sneh Rana. Lofted drive, neat flow of the bat, goes over cover to beat deep cover and long-off

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

After 10 overs,Australia Women 69/1 ( Beth Mooney 37 , Meg Lanning (C) 5)

At the halfway stage, Australia are 69/1 with Mooney on 37 and Lanning on 5. Lanning has been dropped by Richa Ghosh, Mooney by Shafali

India vs Australia Women Semi Final LIVE

FOUR! DROPPED! Thas has to hurt. That’s a simple take at this level. Shafali has let the chance go at the boundary rope. Mooney hops out of the crease and mistimes the loft off the edge, went the distance, nice height for the fielder at long on Shafali couldn’t hold on. Four an insult to injury

India vs Australia Women Semi Final LIVE

Too much loop from Radha Yadav to Mooney who makes full use of it. Goes down the wicket, meets the ball on the full and thumps it over mid-wicket

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

DROPPED! Sneh Rana, comes in for Pooja Vastrakar, into the attack. She could have been rewarded on the second ball but for Richa Ghosh. Quick delivery just outside off, Meg Lanning looks to play it into the off-side and gets a thin edge. Richa Ghosh gets her gloves behind but couldn’t hold on

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

STUMPED!

Alyssa Healy comes down the track, swings and misses completely. Australia’s big game player departs for 25 runs from 26 balls. Full and wide of off stump by Radha Yadav, the ball stays low and beats Healy on the under edge. Simple task for Richa Ghosh

Healy st Ghosh b Radha Yadav 25 (26)

India Women vs Australia Women LIVE

After 7 overs,Australia Women 47/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 25 , Beth Mooney 21)

Four runs from the Shikha Pandey over – first after the Powerplay. Singles around the park for the Aussie openers Healy and Mooney. At the break after the over, Harmanpreet going out for some fluids.

IND W vs AUS W Live

India have reviewed for a lbw on Healy with just 3 seconds left on the DRS timer. Good shout by India as Healy looks to sweep the Deepti Sharma delivery but doesn’t connect. UltraEdge, however, confirms there was a glove on it. The decision by the on-field umpire stands. India lose their review

IND W vs AUS W Live

Brilliant fielding from Jemimah Rodrigues to deny Australia a certain boundary. Shikha Pandey comes into the attack for India, replacing Renuka Thakur. Third ball of the over, she bowls it full and is flicked to the right of deep square. Jemimah with brilliant fielding to keep it down to two runs

After 4 overs,Australia Women 26/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 19 , Beth Mooney 7)

Much better over from Deepti Sharma after a dreadful start. She bowled slow and was easily thrashed for a boundary. On the third ball, she kept it flat to beat Healy who had looked to reverse sweep

After 3 overs,Australia Women 21/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 14 , Beth Mooney 7)

Seven runs from the Renuka Thakur over. She went for a four on the first ball and did well to alter her line and length after it. Both players resorting to singles

After 1 overs,Australia Women 6/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 6 , Beth Mooney 0)

A boundary to open the match for Australia with Alyssa Healy playing a neat drive into the off side. She picked a double on the second-last ball of the over. Mooney will take strike in the next over

India women vs Australia women Live

Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney are at the crease to open for Australia. Renuka Thakur Singh has the ball for India. Go!

Pre-match talk: Renuka Thakur Singh and Tahila McGrath

“England and Australia are my favourite teams to play against as I my confidence and approach take a different route when playing against such competitive teams,” Renuka Thakur Singh on enjoying the occasion of a big game.

“I have been facing Darcie (Brown) since she is 14 and I’m still terrified of facing her. She just makes me look silly in the nets,” Tahila McGrath about Australia’s fast-growing pace sensation.

Harmanpreet Kaur at the toss

Pooja (Vastrakar) is unwell, so Sneh (Rana) is replacing her. One more change is there. In place of Raja (Rajeshwari Gayakwad), Radha (Yadav) is in. I had a fever, but now I’m fine. One thing that we have been discussing throughout the tournament that we have to bat well that’s why we added one more batter. One more change: Yastika (Bhatia) comes in for Devika (Vaidya).

Speaking of the pitch, here’s the pitch report

It’s a fresh pitch and the dimensions are short on one side of the ground. This is the same pitch that will be used for tomorrow as well. It’s a nice, healthy green patch and it’s in the line of middle and off-stump. The batters would target the shorter boundaries.

Richa Ghosh on facing Australia

“We don’t know how the pitch will behave tomorrow but it looks nice. We can target 180 on this if all our batters click and while bowling we will try to restrict them to 140-150 because they have a good batting line up.”

“Australia is comfortable chasing because they bat deep, we do too, but toss is not in anyone’s hand. So whatever the situation, we will have to go through with it. We have plans.”

“Australia are beatable, in the our last series we beat them and we have also done it before. They are a strong team but we can beat them.”

Australia XI

Australia’s playing XI: Alyssa Healy(w), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning(c), Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

India XI

Harmanpreet Kaur is fit to lead India after running high fever earlier. She has passed the fitness test today.

India XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia, Sneh Rana, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur Singh

Newlands looks pretty great, doesn’t it?

Hello and welcome to Newlands, Cape Town.

The stage is set for our semi-final against Australia.#INDvAUS #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/nyJcqtzVCa

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 23, 2023

TOSS!

Australia have won the toss and opted to bat against India

What India need to do to beat Australia?

It is a massive task ahead for India against Australia. They need to be on the money on all factors (and even then it may not be enough). We take a look at the aspects that could make all the difference. [Read: A detailed look]

Head-to-head

Australia beat India in the previous T20 World Cup final, by 85 runs, at home and more recently at the Commonwealth Games gold medal match in Birmingham last year.

In total, they’ve played each other 30 times. Australia have won 22, India 7, No Result 1.

In the last 10: Australia 8, India 1.

In T20 World Cups: Australia 3, India 2

Preview

Having put up a patchy performance in the Women’s T20 World Cup thus far, India will have to lift their game drastically against Australia in the first semi-final.