Women's World Cup: India's semi's chances fading after loss to Australia

Australian players celebrate the dismissal of India's Smrti Mandhana (right) during the Women's World Cup match at the Bristol County Ground yesterday. India lost by eight wickets. Pic/Getty Images

India's semi-final hopes suffered a major jolt after Australia notched up a comfortable eight-wicket win, riding on a superb show by their top-order batswomen in the Women's World Cup here yesterday.

Put into bat, opener Punam Raut's fighting century and a 69 from record-breaking skipper Mithali Raj enabled India to post a decent 226 for seven in their sixth group league encounter.

However, Australia overhauled the target with 29 balls to spare, scoring 227 for two, courtesy some fantastic batting display by skipper Meg Lanning (76 not out) and Ellyse Perry (60 not out).

India's Punam Raut celebrates her century v Australia yesterday

Beth Mooney (45) and Nicole Bolton (36) laid the foundation with a 62-run opening partnership in 15.4 overs.

Once they were dismissed, Lanning and Perry completed the task with consummate ease. After this loss, India are now placed at the fourth spot with eight points. Mithali's team will have to win its next and final league match against New Zealand to make the knockout stage.

The highlight of the Indian innings was Mithali surpassing former England captain Charlotte Edwards' aggregate of 5992 runs to become the highest run-getter in the history of women's ODI.

En route her 49th ODI half-century, she also became the first batswoman to reach the individual milestone of 6000 runs. Punam, who hit 11 boundaries, played confidently against the spinners - off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner (1-48) and leg-spinner Kirsten Beans (0-43).

Mithali, however, was very slow off the blocks even though she hit four boundaries and a six. Once Mithali was out, Harmanpreet Kaur (23) tried to get to move on but after she was dismissed, the Indians couldn't accelerate in the final overs.