India beats Australia in women’s World Cup cricket
Australia’s reign as world champions came to an end as India pulled off the greatest run chase ever witnessed in the women’s game to dethrone Alyssa Healy’s unbeatable powers.
Even Phoebe Litchfield’s stunning hundred and Ash Gardner’s superb innings were not enough as Australia’s World Cup semi-final woes resurfaced as India secured an incredible five-wicket victory in Navi Mumbai thanks to the innings of a lifetime from Jemimah Rodrigues.
India’s Jemimah Rodrigues gave a spectacular performance. Credit: Getty Images
The sprightly Indian hero, who has struggled in recent months, guided the home team to the unlikeliest of victories on Thursday, scoring 127 from 134 balls, as India posted 5-341 with Litchfield’s magnificent 119 off Australia’s 338.
But Australia’s young ball’s breakthrough knock, powered by Ellyse Perry’s 77 from 88 balls and later reinforced by Gardner’s score of 63 off 45, still fell short as India surpassed the world record chase their favorite team had achieved against them just 18 days ago.
Defeat in the last four stages felt familiar to Healy, who lost to India in the 2017 semi-final and lost their last four matches against South Africa in last year’s T20 World Cup, but it was no less crushing for his team, who had won all their previous six matches in this edition in very impressive fashion.
But the team that now dominates women’s cricket on the global stage does not have a world title to its name and it will be India and South Africa who will be fighting for the title at the same DY Patil Stadium on Sunday.
The skipper struggled to get five from 15 balls as Healy, returning from injury, opted to bat on a rainy afternoon, but Litchfield truly came of age with her maiden World Cup hundred, the fastest ever in the knockout stages of the Women’s World Cup, from just 77 balls.
He shared a 155-run haul with Perry, taking Australia to 1-159 at the half-way mark, dreaming of a bigger total than they ultimately achieved.
