Australia, under the temporary leadership of Tahlia McGrath, clinched a place in the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals with a narrow nine-run win over India, dashing their rivals’ hopes of advancing. McGrath, standing in for regular captain Alyssa Healy, who is sidelined with a foot injury, played a pivotal role both with the bat and as captain in the team’s victory in Sharjah on Sunday.
Stepping into the captaincy with ease, McGrath contributed a swift 32 runs, helping to anchor Australia’s innings. Australia posted 151-8, a total that seemed competitive but still left room for India to chase. However, the Australian bowling unit, led by Annabel Sutherland’s game-changing final over, managed to stifle India, holding them to 142-9.
At the halfway point of India’s chase, Australia had already secured enough runs to guarantee their semi-final qualification. But the reigning champions were determined to maintain their perfect record in the tournament. Sutherland’s four wickets in the last over ensured that India’s pursuit fell short, leaving their semi-final chances dependent on the outcome of the upcoming match between New Zealand and Pakistan. If New Zealand wins, India will be eliminated.
India’s skipper Harmanpreet Kaur stood as the last line of resistance, with an unbeaten 54. Her effort gave India a glimmer of hope going into the final over, where they needed 14 runs for victory. Yet, on the day after her 23rd birthday, Sutherland showcased remarkable composure, conceding just five runs while claiming two wickets and forcing two run-outs, securing Australia’s place in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on the team’s unbeaten streak in the tournament, McGrath expressed her satisfaction. “Absolutely. We want to win every game we play,” she said. “We knew today would be a big challenge. India came hard at us, and I’m just really proud of the group for keeping our nerve at the end.”
The status of Healy’s return remains uncertain after she sustained an “acute right foot injury” in Australia’s victory over Pakistan. The team has stated that her availability for the knockout stages will be determined after further assessment. Meanwhile, McGrath’s performance as captain continues to shine. On Sunday, she surpassed Meg Lanning’s record as the fastest Australian woman to reach 1,000 T20I runs.
Australia’s innings started shakily after opting to bat. India’s Renuka Singh struck early, dismissing Beth Mooney and Georgia Wareham in consecutive deliveries in just the third over. McGrath then stepped in, forming a vital 62-run partnership with Grace Harris, who contributed 40 runs off 41 balls.
Ellyse Perry provided a valuable middle-order knock, hitting one of only two sixes in her 32 off 23 balls, while Phoebe Litchfield added a late flourish with a six on the final ball of the innings, pushing Australia to a tournament-high score at Sharjah.
Australia’s fielding was solid, though they suffered three dropped catches from Megan Schutt, Sophie Molineux, and Darcie Brown. Still, the bowlers more than compensated. Schutt was particularly economical, finishing with 1-25, while Sophie Molineux was named player of the match for her 2-32, including the crucial wickets of Deepti Sharma and Smriti Mandhana. Sutherland’s 2-22, including a stellar final over, was another standout performance.
India’s chase hinged on Kaur, but Australia’s disciplined bowling attack, combined with tight fielding, proved decisive. Sutherland’s final over capped a thrilling finish, as she clean-bowled Pooja Vastrakar and trapped Radha Yadav lbw, ending India’s hopes of a late comeback.
With this victory, Australia extended their winning streak to 15 consecutive matches in the T20 World Cup and kept up their streak of reaching the semi-finals in every edition of the tournament.
As the competition moves into its knockout phase, Australia remains the team to beat, with questions lingering over Healy’s fitness and McGrath proving herself a capable leader in her absence. India, meanwhile, now face an anxious wait to see if their campaign will continue. If New Zealand wins against Pakistan, India’s semi-final dreams will come to an abrupt end.
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