2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by India in their loss to Australia in the Women's T20 World Cup 2023 semi-final
India's world came crashing down at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023, after a heartbreaking five-run defeat to Australia in the first semi-final at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Thursday, February 23.
The defending champions chose to bat first and posted a solid total of 172/4 with Beth Mooney top-scoring with 54 and skipper Meg Lanning unbeaten on 49. In reply, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues fought hard but weren't able to see the Women in Blue through to the finish line.
India were nowhere close to their best on the big day and a number of factors proved pivotal towards the end result.
Here, we look at two mistakes and one masterstroke by the Indians during their five-run defeat to Australia at the Women's T20 World Cup.
#3 Mistake - Renuka Thakur given one over too many at the death
There wasn't much swing upfront with the new ball for Renuka Thakur in India's semi-final bout against Australia. That forced skipper Harmanpreet to hold her back for the death-overs, a phase that Thakur isn't really adept at just yet.
It proved to backfire massively with Meg Lanning tearing into the seamer in the final over and powering Australia to 172. With Thakur dishing out a couple of full tosses under pressure, she conceded 18 runs off the final over.
Deepti Sharma bowling a third over in the powerplay despite wickets not coming her way was another bemusing move. India did not have Pooja Vastrakar to call upon and they simply had to save two overs of Deepti for the back end.
These bowling changes, coupled with the non-selection of leg-spinner Devika Vaidya, proved detrimental as they were sent packing in the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup.
#2 Masterstroke - India counterattack with the bat despite the early trouble
Fighting fire with fire is the only way one can challenge this Australian outfit. The game seemed lost when Smriti Mandhana was trapped in front but India didn't take their foot off the gas, with Harmanpreet and Rodrigues launching a counterattack.
With quality strokeplay of the highest order, the duo found the fence at will while also tapping the strike over on a regular basis. That India were 59 at the end of the powerplay and 93 at the halfway mark after being reduced to 29/3 was a reflection of a stellar riposte.
The result may not have worked in their favor, but Harmanpreet and Rodrigues showed just what is needed to challenge a team like Australia on a stage as big as the Women's T20 World Cup.
#1 Mistake - Elementary errors add up to hurt India
India’s fielding has been so casual and lacking energy. Costly mistakes like that Verma drop could be the game against a side like Australia
There is simply little to no margin for error against a team like Australia. More so in a crunch knockout encounter. But the Women in Blue were found lacking with a very ordinary effort on the park, with rookie mistakes the hallmark of the first innings.
From sloppy fielding and simple chances going down, to a no-ball bowled by a spinner (Sneh Rana), it was not reflective of a team that had made the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup. It all combined to let Australia off the hook as they posted a total above par.
While it was down to some poor fortune, even Harmanpreet failing to slide her bat in was an elementary error that hurt the Women in Blue. It was the moment that flipped the game on its head and prolonged their wait for a global title.
Where do you think it went wrong for India in the Women's T20 World Cup semifinal? Let us know in the comments section below!
Also read: Women's T20 World Cup 2023, England vs South Africa: 3 player battles to watch out for