India entered the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with high expectations, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who called it their best-ever squad. However, the campaign ended in disappointment as India was eliminated in the group stage, finishing third in Group A.
Their opening match against New Zealand on 4th October saw India struggle with both bat and ball. Despite Renuka Singh’s impressive 2 for 27, New Zealand posted 160, driven by Sophie Devine’s unbeaten 57. India’s chase faltered, collapsing to Rosemary Mair’s 4 for 19 and Lea Tahuhu’s 3 for 15, resulting in a heavy 58-run defeat. The loss severely dented India’s net run rate (NRR), putting them on the back foot.
In the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan, India bounced back. Arundhati Reddy’s superb 3 for 19 restricted Pakistan to 105. Shafali Verma (32) and Jemimah Rodrigues (23) anchored India’s chase, with Kaur’s 29* sealing a six-wicket win. However, the margin of victory did little to improve their NRR.
India’s third match against Sri Lanka was a dominant display. After setting a challenging 172, with Smriti Mandhana (50) and Kaur (52*) leading the charge, India’s bowlers, including Arundhati and Asha Sobhana (3 for 19 each), bundled Sri Lanka out for 90, giving India a massive 82-run win.
In their final group match against Australia, India fought hard but fell short. Despite Harmanpreet’s gritty 54* and Deepti Sharma’s all-round effort, India lost by 9 runs. The defeat left them relying on other results to qualify, but New Zealand’s victory over Pakistan dashed their hopes.
While India showed flashes of brilliance, inconsistency and a heavy reliance on NRR ultimately led to an early exit, marking a frustrating end to their campaign.
Following India’s disappointing early exit from the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, fans took to social media platform “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to share their thoughts. While there was widespread acknowledgment of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s standout performances—amassing 150 runs from 4 matches at a strike rate of 133.93—many also praised Arundhati Reddy and Renuka Singh. Both bowlers shone brightly, taking 7 wickets each at an identical average of 12.86, providing crucial breakthroughs in several matches.
However, alongside the appreciation came questions regarding some of India’s biggest names. Smriti Mandhana, a key player for India, managed just 75 runs at a modest average of 18.75 and a strike rate of 94.93, raising concerns about her form at a critical juncture. Jemimah Rodrigues, another important cog in India’s batting lineup, was similarly underwhelming, with 68 runs at an average of 17 and a strike rate of 111.47. Deepti Sharma, known for her all-round capabilities, also faced scrutiny, contributing only 49 runs from 3 innings and managing to pick up just 4 wickets throughout the tournament.
Criticise the Indian team as much as you want for their #T20WorldCup exit but making gender-sensitive jokes and trolling them for their gender is not done at all.
— Mohsin Kamal (@64MohsinKamal) October 14, 2024
Even with all her injury woes, Harmanpreet Kaur is leading from the front for India in this #T20WorldCup
Most runs, highest score, highest average and the highest strike rate too for India (min 10 runs)
96 runs at an average of 96 & strike rate of 148 is a terrific effort
— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) October 13, 2024
A setback is just a setup for a comeback. 🇮🇳 Let’s rise stronger! 💪
📸 Getty Images
[CricketGully Cricket TeamIndia BCCI Women’sT20WorldCup HarmanpreetKaur SmritiMandhana JemimahRodrigues] pic.twitter.com/TTccYGB8Zx
— হৃদয় হরণ 💫✨ (@thundarrstorm) October 15, 2024
India in Women’s T20 World Cups:
In 2012 – Out of Group Stage.
In 2014 – Out of Group Stage.
In 2016 – Out of Group Stage.
In 2018 – Semifinalist.
In 2020 – Runner-up.
In 2023 – Semifinalist.
In 2024 – Out of Group Stage
What a fate 😞💔#IndianCricketTeam #T20WorldCup #Chennai pic.twitter.com/n2352obzm2— Anupam (@AnupamBabu1) October 15, 2024
Smriti Mandhana in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup so far:
12(13) vs New Zealand
7(16) vs Pakistan
50(38) vs Sri Lanka
6(12) vs Australia #SmritiMandhana #T20WorldCup #T20WorldCup2024 #T20WomensWorldCup #WomensT20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/6X8YSvlrQk— Saabir Zafar (@Saabir_Saabu01) October 14, 2024
3 high full tosses and Deepti successfully missed all three!!
Another one heartbreak loading?#INDvsBAN #PakistanCricket #T20WorldCup #INDWvsAUSW #BabarAzam𓃵
— Ananth Mek (@AnanthCric) October 13, 2024
Yastika Bhatia should have been given a chance..
Richa Ghosh looked clueless today#T20WorldCup #INDWvsAUSW #INDvsAUS #T20WorldCup2024— Dharmin Doshi (@DharminD) October 13, 2024
Loves all things female cricket