CWG 2022, INDW vs ENGW: Mandhana's fastest T20I 50 puts India in gold medal clash; Twitter thrilled
India has qualified for the Commonwealth Games 2022 final in women's T20 cricket. It defeated England by four runs in the semis, assuring itself of the silver medal.
FollowIt was a delight for India, as it has confirmed itself for another 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) medal, which is none other than in the sport of cricket. The women's T20, which is making its CWG debut, saw the first semi-final clash being played on Saturday at Edgbaston between India and England. The visitors brushed aside the hosts by just four runs, ensuring its place in the final, where it will compete for the gold medal against the winner of Australia vs New Zealand clash later during the day. Although India was not in the best form heading into the tournament, it has bounced back at the right time and somewhat proved its critics wrong, while Twitter is thrilled by this performance of the Indian women.
Winning the toss, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat, as the openers Smriti Mandhana (61) and Shafali Verma (15) put on an impressive 76-run opening stand before the latter fell to medium-pacer Freya Kemp in the eighth over. At this time, the Mandhana hammered the fastest women's T20I half-century in just 23 balls, bettering her own record, before being dismissed by medium-pacer Natalie Sciver in the following over, just a run later.
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India was down to 106/3 by the 14th before Jemima Rodrigues (44*) and Deepti Sharma (22) added 53 for the fourth wicket. At the same time, the latter was dismissed by pacer Katherine Brunt in the final over, as India finished on a par total of 164/5. Kemp bagged a couple for England, while leg-spinner Sarah Glenn was economical.
In reply, England lost Sophia Dunkley (19) in the third over of the powerplay to off-spinner Deepti Sharma before a 35-run partnership ensued between Danielle Wyatt (35) and Alice Capsey (13). The latter was run out in the seventh, while it was down to 81/3 by the ninth. Nonetheless, Natalie Sciver (41) and Amy Jones (31) added 54 for the fourth wicket.
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At 135, Jone was unfortunately run out in the 18th, followed by Sciver's run out in the subsequent over, 16 runs later. The equation came down to 14 off the final six, with Katherine Brunt (0) falling to Rana a run later, while India eventually got the job done by four runs. For India, Rana claimed a couple, while Deepti was the most economical.
Brief scores: INDW 164/5 (Mandhana- 61, Rodrigues- 44*; Kemp- 2/22) defeated ENGW 160/6 (Wyatt- 35, Sciver- 41, Jones- 31; Rana- 2/28) by four runs.
