India’s hopes of winning the Women’s T20 World Cup came to an end on Thursday as they lost to Australia by just five runs in a closely contested semi-final.
Australia, who are the defending champions and one of the strongest teams in women’s cricket, won the toss and elected to bat first. They got off to a solid start, with openers Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy putting on a 115-run partnership for the first wicket.
India fought back well, however, with spinner Radha Yadav taking three wickets in quick succession to leave Australia reeling at 134-4. All-rounder Ashleigh Gardner then played a crucial innings of 26 off just 15 balls to help Australia post a competitive total of 167-8 from their 20 overs.
In reply, India got off to a poor start, losing opener Shafali Verma for just two runs. However, captain Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Deepti Sharma steadied the ship with a 52-run partnership for the second wicket.
India kept losing wickets at regular intervals, however, and were eventually restricted to 162-8 from their 20 overs. Kaur top-scored for India with 38 off 33 balls, while Sharma made 33 off 35 balls.
Australia’s Megan Schutt was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-26 from her four overs.
Despite the loss, India can take heart from their performances in the tournament. They won all four of their group stage matches, including a memorable victory over hosts and favourites Australia in the opening game of the tournament.
India’s Shafali Verma was one of the standout performers of the tournament, scoring 163 runs in five innings at an average of 32.60 and a strike rate of 158.25. The 16-year-old opener was also named Player of the Match in two of India’s group stage matches.
Australia will now face the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa and England in the final on Sunday.
The Women’s T20 World Cup has been a major success, with record crowds turning out to watch the matches and a huge increase in media coverage. The tournament has showcased the growing popularity and strength of women’s cricket around the world.
However, there has been some controversy around the tournament as well. Before the start of the tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) faced criticism for scheduling the tournament in Australia during the bushfire season. Many players, including Australia’s Ellyse Perry and India’s Harmanpreet Kaur, expressed their concerns about the air quality in Australia.
In addition, the tournament has also highlighted the pay disparity between male and female cricketers. Despite the success of the Women’s T20 World Cup, female cricketers still earn significantly less than their male counterparts. For example, the prize money for the 2019 Men’s Cricket World Cup was $10 million, while the prize money for the Women’s T20 World Cup is just $1 million.
The issue of pay disparity has been a major topic of discussion in women’s cricket for several years. In 2017, Australia’s women’s team went on strike in protest against the pay gap, and the issue has continued to be a major talking point in the sport.
Despite these controversies, the Women’s T20 World Cup has been a major success in terms of the quality of cricket on display. The tournament has showcased some of the best players in the world, and has given a platform for women’s cricket to be seen and celebrated by a wider audience.
In conclusion, India’s campaign in the Women’s T20 World Cup ended in heartbreak as they fell short by five runs in the semi-final against Australia. Despite the loss, India can take heart from their impressive performances in the tournament and the emergence of young talent like Shafali Verma. Australia, meanwhile, continue their dominant run in the tournament and will be favorites to lift the trophy in the final.
