The Indian women cricket team failed to grasp their maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title, as the hosts Australia dominated in the tournament’s final match today in Melbourne. India, despite having a flawless run in the earlier matches, ducked in the final hurdle before clinching the trophy, as the Aussie women glimmered in both their batting and bowling performance. With a massive 85 run victory, the 2018 champions successfully defended their title, making it their fifth T20 World Cup trophy.
Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, the two Aussie opening batswomen displayed their fireworks at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Healy, the wicket keeper put up a swashbuckling knock of 39-ball-75, including seven fours and five sixes.
Mooney, who kept her strike til the end, scored 78 runs from 54 balls, with an astonishing ten boundaries. The opening duo did most of the work behind Australia’s behemoth of a total in the first innings, and their skipper Meg Lanning provided some tail end support with 16 runs. Their final score was 184 for 4.
The Indian bowlers weren’t able to counter the Aussie batting attack, as Shikha Pandey gave off 52 runs from 4 overs, followed by Deepti Sharma, who picked the wickets of Lanning and Ashleigh Gardner, with an economy rate of 9.50.
Poonam Yadav, who picked up four wickets against Australia last time, only had one dismissal today. Radha Yadav picked one wicket, ending Healy’s stormy innings in the 12th over.
With such an astounding target up front, the Indian dugout was dependent on the superstar opening duo of Shafami Verma and Smriti Mandhana. Unfortunately, the Aussie bowlers were equally effective on the pitch, as the Indian batting order fell apart against them.
Verma, the young prodigy who was amazing in the earlier games, faced an early dismissal against Megan Schutt’s delivery. Mandhana, although looking to carry the chase forward with two fours, lost her wicket on just 11.
Indian keeper Taniya Bhatia suffered a woeful concussion, and had to retire hurt on a score of 0. The rest of Indian batswomen failed to make a mark against the Aussie bowlers, except Deepti Sharma, who’s appreciable effort of 33 was brining some hope in the middle order.
Women in Blue skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s bad form continued, and except Veda Krishnamurthy (19) and Richa Ghosh (18), the rest of the batting squad failed to cross the 10 run mark, as Australia exhausted all their wickets on a score of 99.
Megan Schutt, who recently expressed her reluctancy on playing India, picked four wickets in the second innings. Spinner Jess Jonassen secured three, and Sophie Molineux, Delissa Kimmince and Nicola Carey had one dismissal each.
“Thanks to the 86,000 people that came out tonight, it was something incredibly special,” Healy, the player of the match spoke after the final. The player of the tournament award went to Mooney, who scored 259 runs out of six matches.
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