• Home
  • Match Hub
  • Ind W Vs Aus W Highlights India On Verge Of Elimination As Australia Wins A Last Ball Thriller

IND-W Vs AUS-W Highlights: India On Verge Of Elimination As Australia Wins A Last Ball Thriller

Harmanpreet Kaur's resistance was not enough to keep India's semi-final dream alive (@BCCIWomen/X.com)Harmanpreet Kaur's resistance was not enough to keep India's semi-final dream alive (@BCCIWomen/X.com)

India Women lost a close battle to Australia Women to virtually end its poor campaign in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. With a 152-run target in sight, India couldn’t hold nerves and cracked under pressure. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s 54 off 47 balls resistance also went to waste as the Aussies secured a close 9-run victory.

Here’s the timeline of how IND-W Vs AUS-W panned out in Sharjah:

IND-W Vs AUS-W Highlights: Renuka Singh Strikes Twice In An Over To Jolt Aussies

Australia Women opted to bat first, and in the absence of injured Alyssa Healy, Grace Harris walked out to open with Beth Mooney. However, before the Aussies could read the pitch conditions, Renuka Singh jolted them with back-to-back wickets. 

She first deceived Mooney with a back-of-the-length delivery that caught a thick edge. Radha Yadav, stationed at a backward point, took a blinder to draw first blood. On the very next delivery, Georgia Wareham was undone by Renuka’s brilliant inswinger, leading to plumb LBW dismissal.

IND-W Vs AUS-W Highlights: McGrath-Perry’s Partnership Revives Australia

Renuka Singh’s sensational powerplay spell put Australia in a challenging situation. However, Tahila McGrath and Ellyse Perry used their experience to build a 50-run partnership and revive Australia from 17/2 to 79/3 before McGrath was sent packing by Radha Yadav. 

Wickets kept falling at regular intervals, thus denying Aussies a chance to score big. Indian bowlers, meanwhile, executed their plans well and restricted the Aussies to 151/8 by the end of the first innings.

IND-W Vs AUS-W Highlights: Smriti Fails Again As India Top Order Collapse Under Pressure

The 152-run target appeared achievable when Shafali Verma batted with aggressive intent. However, both Verma and Smriti Mandhana fell into the power play, which marked the beginning of a mini-collapse. Smriti’s woeful tournament continued as she was trapped LBW off Molineux’s sharp-length delivery. Jemimah Rodrigues returned to dressing room soon after scoring just 16 runs before Harmanpreet Kaur shouldered the responsibility of the chase alone.

IND-W Vs AUS-W Highlights: Harmanpreet Kaur’s Fifty In Vain As India Drop A Close Game

Despite the odds stacked against team India, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur stepped up to slam a fifty and keep hopes alive. She hit 6 boundaries and clubbed 14 runs in the 19th over, setting up a 14-run ask for the final over. However, due to lack of proper support from the other end and poor running between the wickets, India fell short of 10 runs as Australia Women dashed India Women's hopes of a semi-final qualification.