On Saturday, India and Australia locked horns against each other in the 18th match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Australia won the toss and elected to bowl.
Batting first, India did not get off to the best of starts as they lost their opening pair of Shafali Verma (12 runs off 16 balls) and Smriti Mandhana (10 runs off 11 balls) inside six overs with the scoreboard reading 2-28. After that captain Mithali Raj and Yastika Bhatia came together and stitched a 130-run partnership off 154 balls, recording the highest third-wicket partnership for India against Australia. The left hand – right hand combination not only milked ones and twos but also hit boundaries at regular intervals.
Once Bhatia (59 runs off 83 balls) departed, India kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Raj (68 runs off 96 balls) after scoring a delectable half-century, which was also her 63rd in ODIs and 10th in World Cups, made her way back to the pavilion in the 38th over. Richa Ghosh (8 runs off 14 balls) and Sneh Rana (0 runs off 5 balls) perished in the 42nd and 43 rd overs respectively. In the end, Harmanpreet Kaur, who came in at number five, plundered a blistering 57 not out off 47 balls to power India to a competitive score of 7-277. Kaur received good support from Pooja Vastrakar who muscled 34 runs off 28 balls.
Partnership of 64 Runs off just 46 balls 🔥
Pooja Vastrakar and Harmanpreet Kaur have ensured India have a fighting total on board with 277 Runs#CWC22 #AUSvIND
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 19, 2022
For Australia, right arm seamer Darcie Brown was the pick of the bowlers as she scalped 3-30 in her eight overs. Leg spinner Alana King was the other major contributor with the ball as she struck with 2-52 in her 10 overs, including one maiden. Jess Jonassen accounted for 1-40 in her seven overs, while the pace trio of Megan Schutt, Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath went wicket-less alongside off spinner Ashleigh Gardner. The Australians did not have a great day on the field as per their standards as they dropped a couple of catches. Bhatia and Kaur were dropped in the 11th over and 44th over respectively. Both these batters made Australians pay a heavy price for the dropped catch as they scored half-centuries.
Innings break, 🇮🇳India: 277/7 (50)
Mithali Raj: 68 (96)
Yastika Bhatia: 59 (83)Darcie Brown: 3/30 (8)
Alana King: 2/52 (10)🇦🇺 Australia require 278 runs to win.#CWC22 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BvUH6sZsgq
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 19, 2022
India have set a target of 278 for Australia. Can Australia chase down the target and register their fifth straight win of their World Cup campaign? Or will India break Australia’s four-match winning streak? Stay tuned to find out.
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I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.