ICC Women’s World T20: England outplay India to set up summit clash with Australia

India’s dominating run in the ICC Women’s World T20 ended at the hands of England in the semi-finals, as they were handed an eight-wicket defeat with 17 balls to spare in North Sound on Friday.

The loss could mostly be accorded to the failure of the batswomen, who could manage just 112 runs in the first innings. India definitely missed the services of Mitali Raj who was yet to recover from a knee injury as none of the batswomen could make any significant contribution to the team’s cause of getting to a good total.

The opening duo of Tamanna Bhatia and Smriti Mandhana battled through to 46 runs in 5.5 overs before the latter departed, offering a simple caught and bowled chance to Sophie Ecclestone, who had to turn to her left to complete the dismissal.

In a space of just 10 runs, Bhatia soon followed her way back to the pavilion. The second best partnership to the 43 runs by Mandhana and Bhatia was between skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues as they looked to rebuild the innings and give it some sort of traction. But all they could muster was 112 all out in 19.3 overs.

But there wasn’t anyone to raise their hands up and take the responsibility as they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. Skipper Heather Knight was the best bowler for her side as she took three wickets and conceded just nine runs in her two overs. For India, only Mandhana could go past the 30-run mark and as she top-scored with 34 runs off 23 balls with five fours and a six. Rodrigues was the next best scorer with a run-a-ball 26.

Also read: ICC Women’s World T20: Smriti Mandhana’s 83 gives India victory over Australia

The chase was always going to be an easy one for England given the depth they have in the batting department and they took 17.1 overs to brush off the total with 17 balls remaining.

After openers Tammy Beaumont and Danielle Wyatt were dismissed within 25 runs, India’s hopes of a comeback did look bright but the 92-run partnership that followed took the fight out of Kaur’s women as the in-form team which would once looked as if they would go all the way having won all their games, now have been knocked out by a side, who had defeated them by just nine runs in the World Cup final last year. They would now square off against Australia in the final.

Brief scores: India 112 all out (Smriti Mandhana 34, Jemimah Rodrigues 26; Heather Knight 2/9) lost to England 116/2 (Amy Jones 53, Natt Sciver 52; Poonam Yadav 1/20) by eight wickets.