That’s enough from me after a cracking game. There’s still another semi-final to go, with England taking on South Africa at Newlands tomorrow. Here’s to another classic!
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Ashleigh Gardner is Player of the Match
Gardner, by the way, was named Player of the Match for her all-round display. Her 18-ball 31 gave Australia a much-needed lift at the right moment, and she got the dangerous Mandhana out early when it was India’s turn to bat.
Meg Lanning says “that’s one of the best wins I’ve been involved in”. Having won pretty much everything, that’s quite a statement – India really did look as if they were going to pull it off.
Doubt Australia will play that badly in the final, but if England can make it past South Africa, they should fancy their chances for a first T20 World Cup win since 2009. #T20WorldCup
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) February 23, 2023
“Bowling the last over I reckon my average heart rate was probably like 190, to be honest with you,” says Ashleigh Gardner, who was brilliant with the bat.
“What this team does best is, when our backs are up against the ball, we find a way and we scrap really hard and that’s what we did today with the ball.”
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Heartbreak for India yet again. Jemimah Rodrigues was exceptional, and it looked as if Harmanpreet Kaur was going to finish the job until she was run out in the most bizarre fashion. But Australia are Australia, and they always seem to find a way. They’re into their seventh consecutive T20 WC final. Seventh. Ridiculous.
Australia win by five runs to advance to the T20 World Cup final
Gardner to bowl the final over. Deepti manages a couple off her first ball, and two more off her next. 12 needed from four.
Deepti takes a short break to adjust her gloves, and then slaps the ball to a fielder in the off side for one. Yadav goes for a big shot but can only hit it straight into the hands of Perry at long-on! India need 11 from 2 and this is surely the end.
Pandey can only loft the ball down the ground for a single, and Deepti’s final-ball boundary proves futile. Australia, as they do, are into yet another World Cup final.
WICKET! Rana b Jonassen 11 (India 157-7)
Jonassen is entrusted with the penultimate over and Rana can only hoick the ball away to short fine leg for one. Deepti then sweeps well but that’s also just a single. Rana moves over to the off side to try and swat to the leg side but she doesn’t make contact – she does it again the next ball and does get bat on it but Perry pulls off a stunning dive at fine leg to stop the ball with one hand and save a boundary! Unbelievable work from the legendary all-rounder.
A dot ball follows before Jonassen bowls Rana with the final ball! The batter advanced down the ground but failed to get any bat on it.
19th over: India 157-7 (Deepti 11, Yadav 0)
India need 16 from 6 balls
18th over: India 153-6 (Rana 8, Deepti 10) Schutt has the ball and concedes a couple of singles before a leg-side wide that Healy can’t collect brings Rana back on strike. The right-hander then sweeps hard and doesn’t get the cleanest contact, but it’s enough to fly away for four to the square-leg rope.
India need 20 from 12 balls
17th over: India 142-6 (Deepti 8, Rana 1) Still some hope for India as Deepti pulls Gardner away for four, leading to some fist-pump action from Rana at the other end.
India need 31 from 18 balls
WICKET! Ghosh c McGrath b Brown 14 (India 135-6)
A short ball from Brown lands a blow on Deepti’s ribs before the new batter clips away for a single. Brown proves too difficult to get away, though, and she finishes her spell with another wicket! Ghosh goes for a big shot and the ball spends an age in the air before landing in the safe hands of McGrath at deep midwicket.
16th over: India 135-6 (Deepti 2, Rana 0)
Cricket is a simple game. Twenty-two women whack a ball for 40 overs and at the end, the Aussies always win.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) February 23, 2023
WICKET! Kaur run out Mooney/Healy 52 (India 133-5)
What’s happened here… Oh my days. Australia have Kaur run out after her bat gets stuck in the turf! She looked as if she was easily home, but the bat got lodged in the pitch and she couldn’t slide it in. The throw came in from deep midwicket and it was a routine couple of runs. Just a staggering moment that has changed everything in this run-chase.
15th over: India 134-5 (Ghosh 14, Deepti 1)
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Half-century for Harmanpreet Kaur!
She’s doing it again in a semi against Australia. Kaur cuts Wareham for four before collecting another boundary with a sweep. India are surely favourites now…
14th over: India 124-4 (Kaur 43, Ghosh 14) McGrath gets a go and nearly has the wicket of Kaur, who shapes up for an off-side slash but can’t get it away as the ball narrowly evades off stump. Then comes a free hit which Richa Ghosh can only collect a single off. But then arrives a wonderful and much-needed stroke from Kaur, who manages to slice a fuller delivery behind point for four.
How about this!? Ghosh moves over the leg side and drives over extra cover for four – she holds the pose for the cameras, too. India need 49 from 36 balls.
13th over: India 111-4 (Ghosh 8, Kaur 37) Brown races in and proves difficult to get away, conceding just a couple of runs off her first four. And then Kaur is dropped! She swipes hard only to produce an edge that flies to the right of Healy, who can only parry it away.
12th over: India 107-4 (Kaur 35, Ghosh 6) Ghosh doesn’t read the pace off the wicket right, letting her bat loose for a one-handed drive off Schutt, but the ball just about lands safely over mid-off. She then gets her timing right with the next shot, picking up a couple with a drive through extra cover.
11th over: India 98-4 (Ghosh 1, Kaur 33) The gifted 19-year-old Ghosh joins Kaur out in the middle.
WICKET! Rodrigues c Healy b Brown 43 (India 97-4)
This might be the best shot of the lot. Rodrigues delivers a perfect cover drive – head still, beautiful flow of the bat – off Brown. But then Rodrigues departs! Browns goes short, Rodrigues tries to upper-cut but nicks it to Healy and the Australians are ecstatic! Rodrigues, on the other hand, looks furious with herself. That’s a massive moment.
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10th over: India 93-3 (Rodrigues 39, Kaur 33) A stunning shot from Rodrigues. Wareham tosses one up outside off stump and the right-hander goes aerial over cover to pick up four. And then she does it again! This time Rodrigues shuffles to the leg side to give herself more room for the hit over extra cover. Rodrigues then produces a deft sweep, with Perry diving brilliantly at fine leg to stop what would’ve been another boundary. This partnership has completely shifted the look and tone of this game.
India need 80 to win from 60 balls.
9th over: India 80-3 (Rodrigues 27, Kaur 32) Jonassen switches ends and delivers a fine comeback over after her early treatment, limiting India to just six, with no boundaries conceded.
8th over: India 74-3 (Kaur 28, Rodrigues 25) A lovely bit of timing from Kaur – she gets low to a fuller ball from Schutt and helps it on its way to the fine-leg rope. Rodrigues and Kaur then continue to exchange singles until the end of the over.
7th over: India 65-3 (Rodrigues 23, Kaur 21) Rodrigues cuts late against Georgia Wareham but a good stop at short third man limits India to just a single. Kaur and Rodrigues keep the singles ticking over against the leg-spinner – six off the over.
6th over: India 59-3 (Rodrigues 20, Kaur 18) Rodrigues cuts Jonassen away for a couple before Kaur launches a huge six! India’s captain comes down the track and swings across the line to slap the ball over wide long-on.
5th over: India 47-3 (Rodrigues 16, Kaur 11) Rodrigues collects another boundary before Kaur picks Ellyse Perry off her pads, whipping away to fine-leg for four. India are actually ticking over at a good rate – it’s the flurry of wickets they’ve lost early that’s the problem.
4th over: India 35-3 (Rodrigues 10, Kaur 6) A delightful start from Harmanpreet Kaur, who drives Brown for four off her first delivery. India now need her to recreate her heroics from the 2017 World Cup semi-final.
WICKET! Bhatia run out Healy 4 (India 28-3)
Oh dear. A horror mix-up between the two India batters. Bhatia smashes one straight to short midwicket and decides to go for a single that was never on – Rodrigues doesn’t want it and Bhatia races back in vain.
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3rd over: India 25-2 (Rodrigues 10, Bhatia 4) An electric start from Jemimah Rodrigues, who pulls Gardner for four before driving her next ball through the covers for another boundary. Then there’s a sweep for a couple to make it a bittersweet over.
WICKET! Mandhana lbw Gardner 2 (India 15-2)
Australia go up for an lbw shout and decide to review… and it’s looking very good! Mandhana is trapped on the crease by Gardner’s off-spin, the ball striking pad before bat. India are in huge trouble.
2nd over: India 15-1 (Mandhana 2, Bhatia 4) Yastika Bhatia is the new batter in and she picks up an early boundary to get herself going.
WICKET! Verma lbw Schutt 9 (India 11-1)
The finger goes up! Schutt traps Verma on the crease and India go up for a review. The ball is angled in – is it missing leg stump? Ooooh, it’s just clipping and Verma is on her way.
1st over: India 10-0 (Mandhana 9, Verma 1) Gardner’s off-spin opens up for Australia and Verma knocks her for two before a single brings Mandhana on strike. A clip to the leg side for one gets the left-hander going before Verma whips away for a couple. And then the big shot: Verma sweeps hard for four and India have begun well.
Newlands looking beautiful – but plenty of empty seats there too.
Disappointingly subdued atmosphere for a World Cup semi-final, obviously not helped by TV forcing the game to be played on a weekday afternoon.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) February 23, 2023
No doubt the audience in India will be glued to every ball of this scintillating effort, so all worth it.
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India need 173 to win
Beth Mooney says Australia are pretty happy with that total – so they should be. They’ve got decent runs on the board in a World Cup semi-final, and they really picked things up at the end, taking 30 off the final two overs. Mooney top-scored with 54, Lanning finished on 49 but Gardner was particularly exceptional, ramping up the rate with an 18-ball 31.
20th over: Australia 172-4 (Lanning 49, Perry 2) A six to kick off the over! Renuka releases a full toss and Lanning hits the ball high and over the rope at deep backward square. A boundary follows as Lanning gets lucky, an attempted swat resulting in an edge that flies between her legs towards fine leg. Renuka recovers well but it’s another full toss that ends the innings and Lanning muscles it away for a six. The final flourish means Australia end on 172-4, with Lanning unbeaten on 49.
19th over: Australia 154-4 (Lanning 33, Perry 1) Lanning sees the slower ball well and rocks back to cut Pandey for four.
WICKET! Harris b Pandey 7 (Australia 148-3)
Grace Harris whips Pandey through midwicket for four to open the over – cracking power on that stroke. She then tries to power one through the covers, but can only grab a couple. And then a wicket! It’s a slower ball from Pandey, and Harris’ swipe can’t stop the ball from rattling the stumps.
WICKET! Gardner b Deepti 31 (Australia 141-3)
Deepti manages to limit the damage before ending Gardner’s innings once and for all – it’s a yorker that does the job, rattling the stumps.
18th over: Australia 142-3 (Harris 1, Lanning 28)
17th over: Australia 137-2 (Gardner 30, Lanning 25) The boundaries are flowing for Gardner: a whip off the pads is followed by a successful drive. There’s a little mix-up while running between the two batters but they’re eventually safe. Little going India’s way.
16th over: Australia 126-2 (Gardner 20, Lanning 24) Gardner shuffles to the off-side to open up leg, sweeping Radha to the square-leg rope for four. The next shot is even better as she drives to the left of long-off for four. A top-edge off Gardner’s bat lands safe.
15th over: Australia 113-2 (Lanning 23, Gardner 8) And here comes the noise. Lanning gets down to sweep Rana behind square on the leg side for four. A single brings Gardner on strike and she seizes upon Rana’s straight line, swatting the ball away to fine-leg for another boundary. The over closes with Lanning rocking back for a cut through the off-side for four more. That’s the big over Australia were waiting for.
14th over: Australia 99-2 (Lanning 14, Gardner 3) Radha races through her over, with Gardner and Lanning knocking it around to pick up five from it. Things have quietened a bit since Mooney’s departure.
13th over: Australia 94-2 (Lanning 10, Gardner 2) Rana tosses the ball up but the cover drive can’t pierce the off-side ring. A cut brings two before Lanning fails to connect with a drive; Ghosh doesn’t get a clean gather of the ball and only manages to take down the stumps after Lanning recovers to get back in her crease. Rana, by the way, is bowling nicely here, getting some sharp turn and bounce.
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WICKET! Mooney c Verma b Pandey 54 (Australia 88-2)
Just as she was starting to wreak havoc, Mooney cuts Pandey straight to Shafali Verma at point. An exuberant celebration follows from the fielder, who had dropped Mooney earlier in the piece.
12th over: Australia 89-2 (Gardner 1, Lanning 7)
Fifty for Beth Mooney!
And what a shot to bring it up: Mooney unleashes the ramp to send the fuller delivery from Pandey over the keeper’s head for four.
11th over: Australia 78-1 (Mooney 44, Lanning 7) Mooney, fresh from her reprieve, lofts Rana for four through the offside. Five singles accompany the boundary to make it another good over for Australia.
Kev McMahon messages in: “I confess to not having followed Australia’s progress until this game, but my recollection is that Alana King is an amazing spinner. Any thoughts on why she’s been dropped for this game?”
She’s gone wicketless so far in the tournament, and Australia’s strength in depth means they can afford to leave her out and bring in Jonassen, who’s got a pretty decent CV herself.
10th over: Australia 69-1 (Mooney 37, Lanning 5) Radha sends in a full toss and Mooney slaps the ball across the line to find the gap between long-on and midwicket for four. And then Mooney is dropped! This really should’ve been taken – it was hit down the ground, straight to Shafali Verma at long-on who put it down and watched it trickle away for another boundary. A massive let-off.
9th over: Australia 59-1 (Lanning 4, Mooney 28) Sneh Rana gets a go, and… Lanning is dropped! It’s a beautiful line from the off-spinner, giving Australia’s captain no space, and a backfoot punch results in a thick edge that Ghosh can’t hold on to behind the stumps. It was a very tough chance. A front-foot no ball follows, resulting in a free hit that Lanning hits straight into the hands of short midwicket.
WICKET! Healy st Ghosh b Yadav 25 (Australia 52-1)
Radha’s left-arm spin is called upon and she’s too short with her first delivery – Mooney rocks back and effortlessly cuts for four. That’s the fifty partnership up… but it’s all over now! Healy comes down the ground, misses the ball with a wild slash, and Richa Ghosh knocks over the stumps.
8th over: Australia 54-1 (Mooney 27, Lanning 1)
7th over: Australia 47-0 (Mooney 21, Healy 25) Mooney tries to pick up the rate, moving down the ground before unleashing a flashing cut off Pandey – but she can’t beat point. A single follows before Healy has to show Pandey some respect with a forward defence. Then comes a dance down the track from the right-hander, but she doesn’t get it off the middle, managing only a single. It’s been a solid if not explosive start from the openers.
6th over: Australia 43-0 (Healy 23, Mooney 19) India go upstairs after Healy doesn’t get the desired contact with a sweep. But she’s safe after replays show that there was a bit of glove on it. Healy then picks up three before Mooney hits the first six of the day, smashing Deepti over long-off: she saw a bit of air, got the feet moving and nailed the swing of the bat. Lovely stuff.
5th over: Australia 31-0 (Mooney 10, Healy 20) Pandey is into the attack and she serves one onto Mooney’s pads – the clip through the leg-side is timed beautifully but Jemimah Rodrigues does well with a diving stop at deep midwicket to stop the boundary.
4th over: Australia 26-0 (Healy 19, Mooney 7) Far too short from Deepti and Healy comes down the pitch to slap the ball through the off-side for four. Harmanpreet comes over to have a word with her off-spinner but Deepti is too wide again with her second delivery – Healy can only hit it straight to point, though. The batter fails to connect with a reverse-sweep before Deepti finally finds the right line, testing Healy with a straighter, skiddier delivery. Ian Bishop, on comms, approves. Healy gets off strike before another dot follows.
3rd over: Australia 21-0 (Healy 14, Mooney 7) Healy shows some Serious Intent for the first time today, advancing to Renuka’s first ball of the over and smashing it over mid-on for four.
2nd over: Australia 14-0 (Healy 8, Mooney 6) Deepti Sharma’s twirlers are on from the other end. After Healy and Mooney knock it about for four singles on the bounce, the left-hander manages to cut late behind square for four.
1st over: Australia 6-0 (Mooney 0, Healy 6) Renuka’s a bit too wide and full with her first delivery and Healy delightfully carves it through point for four. After three dots, she clips to the leg side for a couple more. A dot follows to make it a tidy recovery from the seamer after a loose opening ball.
Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney are out in the middle. Renuka has the new ball. Let’s go!
Getting closer, with the anthems about to get underway. Here’s some optimism for the India fans out there.
I don’t mind Australia batting first because India, when forced to go at a higher RR in a run-chase, can respond well and they’ve got so many batters who can fire. I also can’t wait to see Renuka with the new ball!
— Melissa Story (@melissagstory) February 23, 2023
Australia’s XI:
Meg wins the toss and we're having a bat first in the #T20WorldCup semi-final!
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) February 23, 2023
Alyssa Healy and Jess Jonassen come into the XI.
Watch LIVE on Kayo Freebies: https://t.co/VwaYeYwBVG pic.twitter.com/IMhBo7ulUn
India’s XI:
A look at our Playing XI for the game 👇👇#INDvAUS #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/rKzk51MENs
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 23, 2023
Australia win the toss and choose to bat first
Two changes for Australia: Jess Jonassen is in for Alana King, Alyssa Healy replaces Annabel Sutherland.
A blow for India, who have had Pooja Vastrakar ruled out due to an upper respiratory tract infection.
Preamble
You’ll have to go back to 2009 to find the last time Australia didn’t reach the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup. They’ve since won five of six finals, their last victory a historic one at the MCG where more than 86,000 took it all in. Then there’s the 50-over World Cup they won last year, and the gold they took at the Commonwealth Games last summer. They’ve won four out of four in this tournament, too. Basically, this is what I’m trying to say: India are up against it.
Here’s what they can cling on to. They’ve beaten the Australians at the last two T20 World Cups, and they ran them close in the final of the Commonwealth Games, losing by just nine runs. Smriti Mandhana’s in good nick, and Renuka Singh bagged five against England. They’ve got the tools for an upset, now they’ve just got to pull it off.
Whatever happens, it’s gonna be fun. Join me for the next few hours to take in this World Cup semi-final and feel free to send in an email/slide into my Twitter DMs.
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