India falter against Australia in tense T20 World Cup clash

Sharjah: India let the match against six-time champions Australia slip through their fingers in an error-strewn display, suffering their second loss in Group A of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

The Australian men’s team silenced a capacity crowd in the final of the 50-over World Cup in Ahmedabad last year, and now the Australian women’s team produced a similar display to quiet the crowd at the UAE venue.

The win allowed Australia to maintain a perfect record in Group A and advance to the semi-finals while India have only a slim chance of making it to the semi-finals if New Zealand lose to Pakistan on Monday and India finish with a better net run rate.

India playing at the Sharjah Stadium, which holds the record for the most matches in international cricket, for the first time since October 2000, generated great interest among the fans. However, the capacity crowd was left disappointed when the Indian women’s team made basic errors, including dropping three straightforward chances that ended up in losing a critical game.

Better show

Australians excelled in all three departments, and their athleticism helped them save a few boundaries — crucial in the final outcome.

“The difference between the teams is that they didn’t give us easy runs. They have definitely the experience and have played so many World Cups together. That is something that always shows them that they are a great side,” said Harmanpreet Kaur, who is playing in her ninth World Cup, during the post-match presentation.

Kaur remained unbeaten on 54 as India finished at 142 for nine in 20 overs. Deepti Sharma and Jemimah Rodrigues, who was live wire on the field, made some useful contributions. Indian players needed to be at their best against the double world champions, but they fell short, losing by nine runs.

Tough chase

The challenge was apparent after Australia scored 152 for eight on a pitch that offered slight assistance to bowlers but nothing alarming. Chasing in the fourth innings on the same surface was always going to be difficult, and India failed to find their rhythm in what turned out to be a virtual quarter-final.

But for a valiant knock from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s margin of defeat would have been larger. Beyond the first four batters, none posed a significant threat to Australia’s bowlers.

It was a match to forget for wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma. Dropped catches allowed the partnership between Grace Harris, who replaced the injured skipper Alyssa Healy, and stand-in skipper Tahlia McGrath to flourish, forming the cornerstone of Australia’s big total.

Despite losing two early wickets, the duo counter-attacked to keep the scoreboard moving, never giving the Indian bowlers any respite. Phoebe Litchfield’s six off the last ball, despite Australia being eight down, pushed their total beyond 150, while Elysse Perry also came up with vital knock to keep the momentum going.

Richa Ghosh, who had earlier dropped a catch of Suzie Bates in the opener against New Zealand, dropped a sharp chance off Harris in the first over bowled by Renuka Singh Thakur. Deepti also missed a catch off Harris when she was on 25, and later, skipper Kaur dropped McGrath, though it didn’t cost India much. These missed opportunities added to Australia’s total on a pitch that changed significantly from the first match.

Lack of confidence

It wasn’t just dropped catches that hurt India. Richa Ghosh, lacking confidence, failed to provide the right inputs to the captain and lost two appeals. Deepti managed to redeem herself with two wickets, but she struggled with the bat, failing to capitalise on three full tosses, including a no-ball.

“We knew this was a difficult tournament. When Deepti and I were batting, we were not able to utilise a few loose balls. We could have controlled the boundaries. We know their experience; they know how to win games like that. We have to learn from them. If we get the opportunity to play another game, that will be great. But otherwise, whoever deserves to be there, that team will be there.”

Strong bench strength

Australia missed their talismanic captain Healy and Tayla Vlaeminck, who is out of the World Cup due to injuries. However, the two-time defending champions demonstrated why they are a powerhouse in women’s cricket, showcasing their strong bench strength with a near-flawless performance that nearly ended India’s hopes.

India’s troubles began early when leg-spinner Asha Shobana pulled up injured after the toss. After consultations with the Australian team management and the match referee, Shobana was replaced by all-rounder Radha Yadav.