Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 19 (ANI): England pulled off an exciting four-run victory over India in Indore on Sunday, securing their place within the semi-finals of the ICC Girls’s World Cup.
It was a heartbreaker for the hosts, who got here agonisingly shut in a tense chase however finally fell quick regardless of valiant knocks from veteran batters Smriti Mandhana, captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and all-rounder Deepti Sharma.
India, chasing 289, seemed in serious trouble early on at 42/2, then Mandhana and Harmanpreet steadied the ship with an impressive 125-run partnership. The pair performed with grit and authority, taking the assault to the English bowlers and giving India actual hope.
Their stand was the best for India in a World Cup run-chase, surpassing the 108-run partnership between Mandhana and Mithali Raj towards the West Indies in Taunton again in 2017.
Harmanpreet, who had endured a lean run within the event to this point, seemed again to her finest. She scored a fluent 70 off 70 balls, hitting 10 boundaries, earlier than being dismissed by her English counterpart Nat Sciver-Brunt.
The India skipper now has 1,017 runs in 31 World Cup matches at a powerful common of 46.22, with three centuries and 5 fifties, making her the seventh-highest run-getter within the event’s historical past. Towards England in ODIs, she boasts 1,025 runs in 28 matches at a mean of 46.59, together with three tons and 6 fifties.
After her dismissal, Mandhana discovered an in a position companion in Deepti Sharma, who continued her wonderful all-round kind. The duo added 67 runs, maintaining India properly within the hunt.
Mandhana was at her elegant finest, scoring 88 off 94 balls with eight boundaries, earlier than being caught off Linsey Smith. Her wicket turned the tide; India nonetheless had it underneath management as they wanted 55 runs off 52 deliveries when she walked again.
Richa Ghosh tried to inject some momentum however fell for 8, leaving India at 256/6 in 45.4 overs. Quickly, after Ghosh’s wicket, Deepti seemed to take cost however mistimed an enormous shot off Sophie Ecclestone, discovering Sophia Dunkley within the deep. That dismissal left India needing 27 off 19 balls, a goal that slipped out of attain because the decrease order faltered underneath strain, resulting in India’s third consecutive defeat within the competitors. They completed at 284/6.
Nat Sciver-Brunt led from the entrance for England, taking 2/47 in her eight overs. Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone chipped in with a wicket apiece as England held their nerve within the closing phases to seal a dramatic win and e-book their spot within the final 4.
Earlier, England veteran all-rounder Heather Knight marked her three hundredth worldwide look in type, smashing an excellent century towards hosts India within the ICC Girls’s World Cup group-stage conflict on the Holkar Cricket Stadium.
Knight’s elegant 109 off simply 91 deliveries, laced with fifteen fours and a six, guided England to a aggressive complete of 288/8 in 50 overs.
Earlier, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt gained the toss and opted to bat first. Openers Tammy Beaumont (22) and Amy Jones (56) gave England a strong basis, including 73 runs for the opening wicket earlier than Deepti Sharma offered India their first breakthrough. The all-rounder quickly dismissed Jones as properly, swinging the momentum briefly again India’s manner.
Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt (38) joined forces, and the duo added 113 runs, consolidating England’s innings. Nonetheless, as soon as Sciver-Brunt fell to Shree Charani and Knight was run out by Amanjot Kaur, England suffered a collapse and missed the chance to the touch the 300-run mark.
In direction of the tip, Charlie Dean’s unbeaten cameo of 19 off 13 balls, together with two boundaries, ensured England closed in on 290.
For India, Deepti Sharma was the standout performer with the ball, ending with 4/51 in her ten overs. The spell additionally noticed her attain a significant milestone, turning into solely the second Indian bowler to assert 150 wickets in girls’s ODIs, now taking her tally to 153, behind the legendary Jhulan Goswami (255). Deepti’s all-round consistency continues to shine, as she additionally has 2607 runs within the format.
Other than Deepti, Shree Charani chipped in with 2/68 from her full quota.
Transient scores: England 288/8 in 50 overs ( Heather Knight 109, Amy Jones 56; Deepti Sharma 4/51) vs India 284/6 in 50 overs ( Smriti Mandhana 88, Harmanpreet Kaur 70; Nat Sciver-Brunt 2/47). (ANI)
