Australia Women vs India Women – ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Match Recap
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 saw a tense Group A battle between Australia Women and India Women on October 13 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In a match filled with dramatic twists and turns, Australia Women edged past India Women by 9 runs, maintaining their unbeaten run in the tournament. The narrow defeat leaves India in a precarious position regarding qualification for the semifinals.
Introduction to the ICC Womens World Cup 2024 match today
This highly anticipated clash between two cricketing powerhouses lived up to expectations, with both sides showcasing their depth in batting and bowling. Australia, despite missing key players such as captain Alyssa Healy, put up a fighting total, while India, led by a valiant knock from Harmanpreet Kaur, struggled in the final overs to seal the chase.
Key Highlights
- Australia’s Batting Recovery: Australia was on the back foot after early wickets but rallied through Grace Harris (40) and contributions from Tahlia McGrath (32) and Ellyse Perry (32).
- India’s Strong Bowling: Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma were standout performers with the ball, picking two wickets each to restrict Australia to a competitive total.
- Harmanpreet Kaur’s Fight: India’s captain top-scored with 54, holding the innings together but lacked support from the lower middle order.
- Annabel Sutherland’s Decisive Bowling: Her crucial breakthroughs in the final over sealed the game for Australia, despite India’s valiant efforts.
Innings Breakdown
Australia Women:
After electing to bat, Australia faced an initial wobble, losing two quick wickets in the powerplay, courtesy of Renuka Singh. However, Grace Harris and Tahlia McGrath’s steady partnership helped them recover. Ellyse Perry’s late cameo provided the much-needed acceleration in the death overs. Despite India’s efforts to contain the scoring, Australia managed to reach 151/8 in their 20 overs.
India Women:
India’s chase was built around Harmanpreet Kaur’s calculated knock, but frequent wickets at the other end kept them behind the required rate. Even as the required rate climbed, Kaur and the lower order attempted to keep India in the hunt. However, Australia’s disciplined bowling, especially in the death overs, ensured India fell short by 9 runs.
Detailed Scorecard:
| Australia Women | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Harris | 40 | 41 | 3 | 0 | 97.56 |
| Tahlia McGrath | 32 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 123.08 |
| Ellyse Perry | 32 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 139.13 |
| Phoebe Litchfield (not out) | 15 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 166.67 |
| Total | 151/8 | 20 overs | |||
| Bowling (India) | O | M | R | W | Econ |
| Renuka Singh | 4 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 6.00 |
| Deepti Sharma | 4 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 7.00 |
| India Women | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harmanpreet Kaur | 54 | 47 | 6 | 0 | 114.89 |
| Smriti Mandhana | 15 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 115.38 |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | 22 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 129.41 |
| Total | 142/9 | 20 overs | |||
| Bowling (Australia) | O | M | R | W | Econ |
| Annabel Sutherland | 4 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 5.50 |
| Sophie Molineux | 4 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 8.00 |
Key Players:
- Grace Harris (Australia): Top-scored with a crucial 40 at the top of the order, steadying Australia after early setbacks.
- Harmanpreet Kaur (India): Played a captain’s knock, anchoring India’s innings with 54, but lacked support from her teammates.
- Annabel Sutherland (Australia): Turned the match in Australia’s favor with her death-over bowling, taking 2 wickets at a critical stage.
- Renuka Singh (India): Led India’s bowling attack with impressive figures of 2/24, including two key wickets early in the powerplay
Match Result:
- Australia Women: 151/8 (20 overs)
- India Women: 142/9 (20 overs)
- Australia won by 9 runs
India’s Route to the Semifinals:
This loss complicates India’s path to the semifinals. India will now rely on their remaining group stage matches and other teams’ results. They must win their next game convincingly and hope for favorable outcomes from other fixtures in the group. A loss in their next match could eliminate them from semifinal contention
Key Takeaways:
- Australia’s Depth: Even without key players like Alyssa Healy, Australia’s batting depth helped them recover from early wickets.
- Harmanpreet’s Lone Battle: The Indian skipper’s effort was outstanding, but the lack of partnerships at the other end hindered India’s chase.
- Fielding and Death Bowling: Australia’s fielding and bowling in the final overs were instrumental in securing the win, showing their prowess under pressure.
- India’s Batting Fragility: While Harmanpreet shone, India’s middle-order struggles continue to be a concern in pressure situations.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Points Table as of now:
Group A Standings
| Rank | Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | No Result | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | +2.223 |
| 2 | India | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | +0.322 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | +0.282 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -0.488 |
| 5 | Sri Lanka | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -2.173 |
Group B Standings
| Rank | Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | No Result | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | +1.382 |
| 2 | West Indies | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | +1.708 |
| 3 | England | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +0.653 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | -0.844 |
| 5 | Scotland | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -2.671 |
In Group A, Australia continues to dominate, securing a perfect record, while India, with two wins and two losses, remains in the hunt for the semi-finals. New Zealand follows closely behind with a similar record. Pakistan and Sri Lanka, on the other hand, face steep challenges with their current standings.
In Group B, South Africa leads, with England and West Indies posing tough competition for the top two positions. Bangladesh and Scotland will need major improvements to advance.
Key Takeaways:
- Australia and South Africa have all but guaranteed semi-final spots with their impressive performances.
- India needed the victory today in their final group match, but they failed to do so and hope that New Zealand falters to secure a semi-final berth.
- The battle for second place in both groups remains tight, particularly between India and New Zealand in Group A, and England and West Indies in Group B.
Conclusion:
Australia’s narrow 9-run victory puts them in a strong position for the semifinals, while India faces an uphill battle. The match highlighted the competitive nature of this World Cup, with both teams displaying immense talent and resilience. As the tournament progresses, both sides will be looking to fine-tune their performances as they aim for glory.
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