Commonwealth Games: India beat England in women's cricket, reach final
India Women outclassed hosts England in the first semi-final of the 2022 Commonwealth Games on Saturday. Batting first, the Indian women's cricket team compiled a staggering 164/5. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana slammed 61 while reaching the fifty-run mark in 23 deliveries. Jemimah Rodrigues' 44* was equally enthralling. In response, England Women fell short by four runs (160/6). Here's more.
India were off to a terrific start as they compiled 76 runs for the opening wicket. However, they lost their openers in a span of five deliveries. Rodrigues came to the rescue and managed 44*, guiding INDW past 160. Freya Kemp (2/26) bagged the best figures for ENGW. Later, Natalie Sciver (41) and Amy Jones (31) showed intent but failed to steer home.
Natalie Sciver bagged the prized wicket of Mandhana. She concluded with figures worth 1/26 in three overs. The right-arm medium now has 75 WT20I scalps at 20.86. She has equaled fellow countrywoman Jenny Gunn and New Zealand's Leigh Kasperek's wicket count in the format. Meanwhile, Katherine Brunt claimed figures of 1/30 in four overs. The pacer has raced to 108 scalps at 18.48.
A must-win game called for a Mandhana masterclass. And, the southpaw didn't disappoint a bit as she racked up a 32-ball 61. She smacked eight fours and three sixes while striking at over 190. It was her 16th fifty in the format. Mandhana has steered to 2,186 runs across 91 WT20Is. She has also pipped England's Sarah Taylor among leading run-getters (2,177).
Mandhana and Shafali added 76 runs among themselves. With that, they have become only the fourth batting pair to register 1,000-plus runs for the opening wicket. As per ESPNcricinfo, the duo has added 1,051 runs across 33 innings so far. They rank behind Australia's Alyssa Healy-Beth Mooney (1,600), New Zealand's Suzie Bates-Sophie Devine (1,387), and England's Tammy Beaumont-Danielle Wyatt (1,076).
Rodrigues remained unscathed to rack up 44 off 31 deliveries. The number three batter struck seven fours as she maintained a strike rate of over 140. She lifted India from a spot of bothering by fetching a 29-run stand alongside Harmanpreet Kaur. She then upped her scoring to hoard a brisk 53 runs with Deepti Sharma. Rodrigues now has 1,240 WT20I runs at 29.52.
The chase looked well in control for ENGW, courtesy of the start offered by Danielle Wyatt. She smoked Meghna Singh for 14 runs in the fourth over. However, she was bowled out by Sneh Rana while opting for a paddle scoop. She scored 35 off 27 deliveries while hitting six fours. She now has 2,103 WT20I runs across 131 matches.
Sciver did a terrific job on both batting and bowling fronts. Having scalped a wicket early on, Sciver posted a mature 41 off 43 deliveries to keep ENGW in the hunt. On the boundary front, she registered just two fours and a six. She forged a 54-run stand alongside Jones for the fourth wicket. She now holds 1,881 runs at 25.08.
