In a nail-biting contest at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Australia held their nerve to secure a narrow 9-run victory over India in Match 18 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Both teams fought hard, but Australia came out on top in a game that went down to the wire. Sophie Molineux was named Player of the Match for her brilliant bowling performance, taking two crucial wickets to halt India’s chase.

Australia sets a competitive target with key contributions from Grace Harris and Ellyse Perry

Australia won the toss and opted to bat first on a sluggish surface. While their innings began shakily, with opener Beth Mooney falling early for just 2 runs, Grace Harris held the fort, scoring 40 off 41 balls, anchoring the innings. She received strong support from Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath, both of whom added 32 runs each. Perry’s quick-fire knock came off just 23 balls, including two fours and a six, helping Australia post a competitive 151/8 in their 20 overs.

India’s bowlers, especially Renuka Singh Thakur and Deepti Sharma, stood out with disciplined performances. Thakur claimed 2 wickets for 24 runs, while Deepti also picked up two scalps, conceding 28 runs. Shreyanka Patil, Pooja Vastrakar and Radha Yadav chipped in with a wicket apiece, keeping Australia from accelerating too much in the death overs.

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India’s chase falters despite Harmanpreet Kaur’s fighting half-century

Chasing 152, India Women got off to a promising start but soon found themselves in trouble as they lost both openers early. Shafali Verma scored a quick 20 off 13, including two fours and a six, but her dismissal triggered a mini-collapse, as Smriti Mandhana (6) and Jemimah Rodrigues (16) fell cheaply. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur played a captain’s knock, hitting unbeaten 54 off 47 balls with six boundaries to keep India in the hunt. She shared a vital partnership with Deepti Sharma, who contributed 29 runs from 25 deliveries.

However, Australia’s bowlers struck back at regular intervals. Sophie Molineux was instrumental in breaking partnerships, finishing with figures of 2 for 32 in her 4 overs. Megan Schutt, Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland also took important wickets to halt India’s progress. Sutherland, in particular, was economical, giving away just 22 runs in her 4 overs while picking up two wickets.

Despite Harmanpreet’s efforts, India faltered in the death overs, losing wickets in quick succession. None of the lower-order batters could provide the finishing touch, and India eventually fell short, managing 142/9 in their 20 overs.

Harmanpreet Kaur remained unbeaten on 54 in India’s 9-run defeat against Australia#womencricket #INDvAUS #T20I #HarmanpreetKaur #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/1jKKJlJfu2

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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