SYDNEY: Australia bowled India out for 99 runs to clinch the final by 85 runs for a record-extending fifth Women’s T20 World Cup title at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday.
Chasing a huge total of 185, India got off to a poor start and lost four wickets inside the powerplay overs.
India could never recover from the early blows and was bowled out for 99 runs in 19.1 overs.
Earlier, Australia riding on half-centuries from openers Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney posted a massive total on the board. Healy blasted 75 off 39 balls, while Mooney scored an unbeaten 78.
Healy, whose husband Mitchell Starc jetted back from Australia’s tour of South Africa to watch her play, showed intent straight away with a boundary off Deepti Sharma’s first ball. She smacked two more in an eventful opening over which also saw her dropped by Shafali Verma.
Opening partner Mooney also had an early let-off, with Rajashwari Gayakwad putting down a caught and bowled chance when she was on eight. India was nervous and their fielding poor, with the batswomen running quick singles.
Skipper Meg Lanning was caught for 16, Ashleigh Gardner lasted just three balls and Rachael Haynes made only four. But the late fightback wasn’t enough to prevent Australia from posting the highest score ever in a women’s T20 World Cup final.
India’s long wait for an elusive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title got elongated even further as they lagged behind the hosts in each department of the game.
Australia captain Meg Lanning had no hesitation in opting to bat first after winning the toss on a flat MCG deck in front of a packed stadium. Healy started the innings with a bang hitting 3 boundaries in the very 1st over of the match bowled by Deepti Sharma.
However, the wicketkeeper was given an early reprieve by Shafali Verma off the 5th ball fo the match and she made it count by hitting the fastest-ever fifty in an ICC final (men/women). Her fifty came off just 30 balls and soon after reaching the milestone, Healy launched pacer Shikha Pandey for 3 back-to-back sixes to assert Australia’s dominance.
India got their first breakthrough when Healy got out to Radha Yadav with Australia’s score reading 115 in 11.4 overs. Mooney, who had played second-fiddle to the rampaging Healy till then, assumed the role of the aggressor carrying her bat all the way through the 20 overs.
However, Healy’s wicket brought the run-rate down as Indian spinners didn’t allow the new batters to settle picking up wickets at regular intervals. While Australia looked good for 200 when Healy was at the crease, Deepti Sharma struck twice in the 17th over to stem the flow of runs. In the end, Australia’s total of 184 for 4 looked about 20 runs short of what they could have posted but it proved more than enough for their opponents.
India’s highest T20I chase was 177 against the same opponents a month ago but dreams of a repeat came crashing down when big-hitting opener Shafali Verma (2) was out to a stunning catch by Healy behind the stumps off the 3rd ball. Things got even worse for the visitors when Tani Bhatia retired hurt in the next over after a slower ball from Jess Jonassen avoided her attempted sweep and hit her on the helmet. 16-year-old Richa Ghosh turned out to be her concussion substitute later on in the innings.
3 balls later, Jemimah Rodrigues perished without scoring offering a simple catch to Nocola Carey at mid-on leaving India reeling at 8 for 2.
With all hopes now resting on senior pros Smriti Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the duo was expected to pull their team out of trouble. But Mandhana (11) fell to Sophie Molineux in the 4th over before birthday girl Kaur (4) was sent back by Jess Jonassen in the last over of the powerplay.
With Indian hopes all but over, Deepti Sharma (33) and Veda Krishnamurthy (19) forged the only partnership of note worth 28 runs before the latter perished trying to clear mid-off. Thereon, the match only served academic interest as India could only muster 99 in their 19.1 overs handing Australia a memorable win at home.
(with inputs from Agencies)
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