Women’s World T20
Providence, Nov 17:
Opener Smriti Mandhana smashed a career-best 83 before Indian slow bowlers spun their web against Australia to continue their invincible run with a 48-run win in a group B match of the ICC Women’s World Cup here today.
Mandhana blasted 9 fours and 3 sixes in her 55-ball innings and shared a 68-run third wicket partnership with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (43 runs off 27) to power India to a competitive 167 for 8 at the Providence Stadium here.
The spinners then got into the act with Anuja Patil (3/15) taking three wickets and Poonam Yadav (2/28), Radha Yadav (2/13) and Deepti Sharma (2/24) snapping two each to restrict Australia for 119-9 in 19.4 overs.
Alyssa Healy was absent hurt following a collision with Megan Schutt in the Indian innings.
India thus notched up their fourth victory in as many match to top group B. They will now take on either England or West Indies in the second semifinals. Both India and Australia were already in the semifinals after winning the first three matches in group B.
Chasing 168 to win, Beth Mooney (19) and Elyse Villani (6) opened the innings after in-form Healy didn’t come out to bat following a collision during the Indian innings which left the wicket-keeper batsman with mild concussion.
Mooney and Villani gave Australia a decent start, sharing 27 runs in 4 overs.
However, Deepti Sharma struck twice in successive balls, removing both the openers as Australia slipped to 27 for 2 in 4.2 overs.
A few overs later, Australia lost their skipper Meg Lannings (10) with Krishnamurthy taking a good catch at deep midwicket off Radha Yadav’s bowling.
Poonam Yadav then got rid off Ashleigh Gardner (20) with Krishnamurthy taking another catch at long-off when the batsman tried to play another big shot.
India continued to put pressure on the Australians before Perry blasted three boundaries in the 15th over off Harmanpreet to ease the pressure.
Poonam then returned to pick up another wicket when she deceived Haynes with her flight and wicket-keeper Taniya Bhatia did the rest.
The Australia innings crumbled after that even as EA Perry scored an unbeaten fighting 28-ball 39 laced with three fours and a six.
Earlier, Mandhana became the second fastest Indian to compete 1000 runs in T20 internationals after Mithali Raj as she anchored the innings with a superb fifty. (PTI)
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