The semi-final match between India and Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup at Newlands in Cape Town was a rollercoaster of emotions for both teams and their fans. The match was marked by brilliant performances by individual players, missed opportunities, and moments of confusion and chaos.
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first. They made a steady start to their innings and reached 69/1 at the 10-over mark. However, India’s fielding was not up to par, and they dropped several catches and made numerous misfields, allowing Australia to get back into the game. Meg Lanning and Ash Gardner shared a 53-run stand off 36 balls to kickstart their team’s fightback. As Australia found their feet, India faltered, and the bowling, which had been tight in the early phase, became loose, with several four-balls on offer. Australia took full advantage of the generosity and added 61 runs in the last five overs and 30 in the last two, reaching a rather imposing total of 172.
In reply, India needed to come out and bat fearlessly, something that Richa Ghosh had harped upon in the pre-match press conference. However, they got off to a rocky start, losing three wickets for just 28 runs. But Jemimah Rodrigues showed that she was certainly not overawed by the moment, hitting the first two balls she faced for four and then proceeding to build a stunning 69-run partnership with Harmanpreet Kaur. It pushed Australia into a corner and to a point where it looked like India only needed to deliver a knockout blow.
However, Rodrigues went for a ramp shot off a delivery that was way above her head but got an edge instead of the four she sought. For each brilliant act performed on the field, India delivered moments that defied cricketing logic in equal measure. That was the tragedy on a day that could have been so different. Harmanpreet, in particular, had looked in top-notch form despite having had an average tournament thus far. The 33-year-old was cleared to lead India despite being admitted to the hospital on Wednesday with a fever. But she needed support, and she got it from Rodrigues.
The Indian skipper, Harmanpreet, who scored a brilliant 52 off 34 balls, said she was unlucky. Others will say she was casual, but the end result is that India lost a semi-final that they seemed on course to win. The Harmanpreet run-out was a shocker and it knocked the wind out of India’s sails even as Australia found a way to stay focused on the match.
Harmanpreet’s run-out was a crucial moment in the match. She didn’t slide the bat in. Instead, she plonked the bat down, and it got stuck in the turf at Newlands in Cape Town. The Indian skipper was heading back for a comfortable two, but she was trapped at that moment and watched, almost helplessly, as Australian wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy whipped the bails off.
This was the first time Australia had been pushed this hard in the tournament. But that will offer little consolation to an Indian team that was in the driver’s seat at various points during the game. The wicket seemed to give Australia some breathing space, and, as it turned out, that was all they needed.
After Harmanpreet’s dismissal, India lost their way and ended up five runs short of the Australian total. The Indian team would have rued their missed opportunities, with catches dropped and misfields that allowed Australia to get back into the game.