Commonwealth Games, women's cricket: Key takeaways from India's performance
The Indian women's cricket team bagged silver in the Women's T20 event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on Sunday. Chasing 162, the Women in Blue fell short by nine runs to hand Australia yet another T20 title. Harmanpreet Kaur fought well as she struck 65 in the finale, but it wasn't enough. We look at the key takeaways from INDW's run in CWG.
The 2017 ICC Women's World Cup final remains one of the biggest heartbreaks for Indian fans. India looked set for the 229-run chase, but a faulty show from the middle order cost them a win. India then suffered an 85-run drubbing in the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup final against Australia, having conceded 184 runs. And now, a nine-run defeat in the CWG final.
Smriti Mandhana concluded as the third-leading run-getter in the tournament, smashing 159 runs at 39.75. In addition, Mandhana topped the batting charts for India in terms of most sixes (6), most fours (23), and most runs through boundaries in an innings (50 vs Pakistan, England each). She also clocked a 23-ball 50 against England, which is the fastest WT20I fifty in a knockout match.
Jemimah Rodrigues was the dark horse for India in the 2022 CWG. The right-hander finished with the second-most runs for India, bashing 146 runs at a prolific 73.00. She smacked a 46-ball 56* versus Barbados Women. She slapped a crunch 44* off 31 deliveries in the semi-final, Not to forget, a pivotal 33-ball 33 in the final, keeping India in the hunt for gold.
Harmanpreet was India's third-highest run-getter and sixth overall in the Women's T20 event in Birmingham. She amassed 137 runs in four innings, averaging 34.25 and striking at close to 140. Her scores read 52, 0, 20, and 65. She raced to 2,548 WT20I runs at 27.28. She became only the seventh batter and first Indian Woman to breach the 2,500-run mark in the format.
One of the rising pace prospects, Renuka Singh had a distinguishable run in the 2022 CWG. She wound up as the highest wicket-taker. Renuka snared 11 wickets at 9.45. Notably, she was the only bowler to take two four-fers in CWG. As per Kausthub Gudipati, she became the first Indian woman cricketer to claim more than 10 scalps in a series or tournament.
