Meg Lanning (97), Alyssa Healy (72) ensure Australia become first team to qualify for semi-finals after six-wicket win over Indians, who suffer third defeat; skipper Mithali Raj admits remaining two matches against South Africa and Bangladesh are must-win games
India skipper Mithali Raj (right) leads her team off the field after losing to Australia at Eden Park, Auckland, on Saturday. Pics/Getty Images, AFP
India’s path to the semi-finals got a lot tougher after a six-wicket loss to Australia in the Women’s World Cup here on Saturday as the Meg Lanning-led side became the first to qualify for the last four stage with a record chase in tournament history.
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Half-centuries from skipper Mithali Raj (68 off 96 balls), Yastika Bhatia (59 off 83) and Harmanpreet Kaur (57 not out) steered India to 277 for seven.
Australia captain Meg Lanning cuts one during her 107-ball 97 v India
Record chase
The total had never been chased before in tournament history, but Australia’s ominous form and batting friendly conditions at Eden Park meant that they cruised to their fifth win in as many games.
Openers Alyssa Healy (72 off 65) and Rachael Haynes (43 off 52) got Australia off to a flier with a 121-run stand before skipper Lanning (97 off 107) took the team on the cusp of victory. Jhulan Goswami needed to defend eight runs off the final over, but Beth Mooney (30 not out of 20) got the job done in the first three balls.
Australia opener Alyssa Healy during her 65-ball 72 against India
The path to the semi-finals has become tougher for India after their third loss in five games. The 2017 edition runners-up play their remaining games against South Africa and Bangladesh.
“When you lose, you always feel you are 10-15 runs short. I think the way Australia started the innings, [they] were always ahead of the asking rate. Our fielders couldn’t back up our bowlers. The batting is something we wanted to improve and we did. We need to do well in all departments in the remaining games. Next two games are must win,” said Raj after the defeat.
If batting was a concern for India before the game, Australia chasing down a stiff target with ease has given the bowlers plenty to ponder over.
Healy was the aggressor alongside the in-form Haynes, and toyed with the Indian attack—be it pacers or spinners.
The likes of Goswami and Meghna Singh were either too full or too short early on and Healy was quick to punish them with a flurry of cover drives, cut shots and pulls.
India’s top-order batter Bhatia felt that her team could have picked some wickets in the Powerplay. Australia raced to 67/0 while India managed just 39/2 in the Powerplay phase. “It was a defendable total. Credit to the Australian batters for the way they started. Healy and Haynes started very aggressively. We would’ve liked for a few wickets in the Powerplay, but they played well,” Bhatia said at the post-match press conference.
Healy sweeps it
When India’s best spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad came into the attack, Alyssa used the sweep shot brilliantly. The fact that India played a bowler less in the absence of Deepti Sharma, was also an issue. Bhatia felt Harmanpreet’s part-time off-spin could have been used. “Harry di [Harmanpreet] was bowling in the nets. We thought we can use her in the middle overs, but I don’t know what the captain had in mind. We will see in future matches, if we need Harry di, she can bowl,” said Bhatia.
Brief scores
India 277 for 7 in 50 over. (M Raj 68, Y Bhatia 59, H Kaur 57 not out; D Brown 3-30 lost to Australia 280 for 4 in 49.3 overs (M Lanning 97, A Healy 72) by six wickets
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