India Women storm into ICC U-19 T20 World Cup final
India Women beat New Zealand Women to reach the final of the inaugural ICC U-19 T20 World Cup on Friday. Leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra (3/20) bagged the best figures as INDW restricted NZW to 107/9. Number three batter Georgia Plimmer was NZ's top scorer (35). In exchange, Indian opener Shweta Sehrawat (61*) played a blistering knock to make the chase one-sided (110/2). Here's more.
How did the match pan out?
Opting to bowl, India brought NZ down to 5/2 within three overs. Plimmer and Isabella Gaze steadied their ship before Parshavi ran down the Kiwi middle order. Kaley Knight added a crucial 12 runs as NZ got past 100. In response, India suffered a blow with Shafali Verma's early departure. However, calculated knocks from Sehrawat and Soumya Tiwari got them through.
Indian batters attain these numbers
Sehrawat is the leading run-getter in the U-19 Women's World Cup. The right-handed batter has smacked 292 runs at 146.00. She clocked her third fifty. Shafali, who scored a 9-ball 10, has tallied 157 runs so far (SR: 201.28).
All-round show by Indian bowlers
Parshavi (3/20) has now raced to nine scalps at 7.11. She is India's highest wicket-taker in the competition (BBI: 4/5). Bowling all-rounder Mannat Kashyap, who claimed a wicket against NZ, has eight wickets in the tournament. She averages 10.00 (4/12). The likes of Titas Sadhu, Shafali, and Archana Devi took a wicket each.
India's journey in the tournament
Notably, India breezed through the group stage with emphatic wins over South Africa, UAE, and Scotland. INDW lost by seven wickets to Australia in their opening game of the Super Six stage. It was their first defeat in the tournament. India bounced back with a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka. They concluded atop Super Six Group 1, with six points (W3 L1).
India Women seek the coveted honor
India will face the winner of the semi-final clash between Australia and England on January 29 (Sunday) at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom (5:15 PM IST).
