Women's T20 WC PIX: India lose to Australia; semis hopes fade

IMAGES from the Women's T20 World Cup match between India and Australia in Sharjah on Sunday

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Captain Harmanpreet Kaur struck an unbeaten 54 but India's nine-run loss to six-time champions Australia took her side's fate for a semifinal spot out of their hands in the women's T20 World Cup in Sharjah on Sunday.

With Australia marching into the semifinals undefeated, the defeat meant India will now have to wait for the outcome of third-placed New Zealand's match against Pakistan on Monday.

A win for New Zealand will see them leapfrogging India — who currently have a better Net Run Rate but same points (four) — for the final four.

Chasing 152, India were bolstered by Harmanpreet's fifty (54 not out off 47 balls, 6x4s) and her 63-run stand for the fourth wicket with Deepti Sharma (29), but they crumbled under pressure to be restricted to 142 for nine in 20 overs.

With 28 needed off the last two overs, India took 14 off the penultimate over. Needing 14 runs from the last over, they lost as many as four wickets to concede the game to Australia, as Harmanpreet was stranded on the other end.

India paid the price for sloppy fielding and also leaving it too late in run chase. Only two fours were hit between 7.4 and the end of 14th over as Harmanpreet hit her first boundary on her 15th ball.

India's lack of initiative resulted in the asking rate zooming past 10 per over and 53 from the last five, but a four each from both Deepti and Harmanpreet in the 16th over did, even though momentarily, raised hopes.

Deepti found Wareham at the deep midwicket, perishing for a 25-ball 29 with three fours.

If Deepti's dismissal broke India's momentum, Richa Ghosh's (1) run out three balls later off a superb direct hit from Phoebe Litchfield dealt a body blow to India's hopes.

Harmanpreet also had luck favouring her when Darcie Brown spilled a catch while diving forward at deep backward square leg, off Wareham in the 13th over, when she was on 15.

At the start of run chase, Shafali showed the right intent but perished soon.

Having hit a four and a six off Megan Schutt's second over, she found Annabel Sutherland at long-on off Ashleigh Gardner in the fourth over for a 13-ball 20.

Jemimah Rodrigues hit consecutive fours off Sutherland to put pressure back on Australia, but Smriti Mandhana's struggle to find any momentum with the bat met a disappointing end.

With leg-spinner Sophie Molineux angling the ball into the left-hander, Mandhana played a horrendous across the line shot, only to be hit in front of the wickets.

It was indeed a surprise that Australia were forced to go upstairs after being rejected by the on-field umpire, which they successfully got overturned.

India's misfortune persisted when Jemimah, looking in red-hot form, hit one straight to Gardner at deep midwicket who made no error in collecting a diving catch.

Jemimah made a 12-ball 16 with three fours.

Renuka Singh Thakur (2/24) and Deepti Sharma (2/28) played pivotal roles in the bowling department but Australia posted 151 for 8 after opting to bat.

While Renuka struck twice early on, Deepti grabbed the crucial wickets of Grace Harris (40) and Ellyse Perry (32) in later stages.

However, contributions from makeshift opener Harris, stand-in skipper Tahlia McGrath (32), veteran Perry and Phoebe Litchfield's late nine-ball 15 not out helped Australia set a tough target for India.

Renuka made inroads in the third over when she ripped apart a rejigged Australian top order, removing Beth Mooney (2) and Georgia Wareham (0) off consecutive deliveries.

Mooney was caught at point by Radha Yadav, who dived in front to grab a sharp catch.

Australia's surprise promotion of Wareham at No. 4 did not work when she was pinned in front of the wickets for a first-ball duck.

But the pair of McGrath and Harris, opening only for the second time in nine years, took the momentum away from India with a robust partnership to rebuild, adding 62 for the third wicket.

The pair put pressure back on India with brisk running between the wickets. India's frailties on the field came to the fore again with several missed chances.

Harris got a reprieve in the ninth over when Deepti spilled a catch at backward point.

India pressed Renuka back in service in search of a breakthrough. In the first ball of the 11th over, the ball dropped just short of a diving Pooja Vastrakar at deep square leg.

Under-pressure, India then burned a review when McGrath missed connecting a low full toss which hit her on the pads, but the replays showed Renuka's delivery would have missed the leg-stump too.

In yet another embarrassment, Harmanpreet spilled a regulation catch at cover with McGrath being the batter off Radha in the 12th over and a miss hit on the next delivery fell close to the diving Indian skipper.

McGrath finally ran out of luck when she danced down the track, only to be stumped for a 37-ball 32.

Harris plundered two more fours off Arundhati Reddy (0/24) before handing a regulation catch to Smriti Mandhana for a well-made 40 off 41 balls (5x4s).

A crucial moment arrived when Litchfield was declared out leg-before off Deepti in the 17th over while attempting the switch-hit. However, the decision was overturned by the TV umpire.