KEY POINTS
- Australia posted 338/10 in the 2nd Semi-Final against India
- Ellyse Perry (77) and Ashleigh Gardner (63) helped Australia set a formidable target
- India’s bowlers struggled to contain the Australian batting line-up
NAVI MUMBAI, India: Australia Women set a daunting total of 338 after winning the toss in the 2nd Semi-Final of the ICC Women’s World Cup against India at DY Patil Stadium on Thursday.
The total, powered by a stunning knock from Phoebe Litchfield, puts the defending champions in a strong position as they look to secure a spot in the final.
Litchfield’s 119 off 93 balls, which included 17 boundaries and 3 sixes, was the standout performance in Australia’s innings.
Despite losing key wickets at regular intervals, Australia managed to put up a formidable score, thanks to contributions from Ellyse Perry (77 off 88) and Ashleigh Gardner (63 off 45), who both played crucial roles in accelerating the scoring in the middle overs.
Australia’s Batting Breakdown
Phoebe Litchfield (119 off 93) anchored the innings with a brilliant century, building key partnerships and maintaining a strike rate of nearly 128.
Ellyse Perry (77 off 88) played a steady hand, supporting Litchfield and ensuring the Australian innings did not falter after the early loss of Alyssa Healy (5 off 15).
Ashleigh Gardner (63 off 45) provided the late fireworks, hitting 4 fours and 4 sixes at a rapid pace, but was run out after a valiant attempt to up the ante.
Other notable contributions came from Beth Mooney (24 off 22) and Tahlia McGrath (12 off 7), both of whom showed aggression in the latter stages of the innings.
Australia’s tail failed to add much, with Kim Garth (17 off 17) and Megan Schutt (1 off 1) providing some resistance, but India’s bowlers closed out the innings effectively.
India’s Bowling Performance
India’s bowlers struggled to contain the Australian batsmen. Shree Charani was the pick of the bowlers, taking 2 wickets for 49 runs in her 10 overs, including the crucial dismissals of Annabel Sutherland and Ellyse Perry.
Deepti Sharma (2/73) also struck twice but was expensive, while Kranti Gaud (1/58) and Radha Yadav (1/66) had moderate returns. Renuka Singh went wicketless in her 8-over spell, conceding 39 runs.
Australia’s innings also saw significant contributions from the extras, with 13 coming from wides and no-balls, adding to India’s frustration in the field.
With 339 required for victory, India will need to chase down a challenging total if they are to advance to the final.
The match now hinges on how India’s top-order, led by Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, handles the pressure of this massive chase.
