Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, Ravi Shastri, and Shikhar Dhawan were present at Lord’s as India displayed strong batting, scoring 170/4 against Australia in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. India’s aggressive finish, with 36 runs in the last two overs, created pressure on Australia, who now face the challenge of achieving the highest successful run chase in Women’s T20 World Cup history to stay in the semifinals race.
India, opting to bat first, started confidently with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, reaching 43 runs without losing a wicket in the powerplay. Despite a solid partnership of 66 runs, Shafali was dismissed for 34, followed by Mandhana’s exit at 38. Harmanpreet Kaur then took charge, accelerating the innings alongside Jemimah Rodrigues, who was retired out for 34.
Harmanpreet’s explosive batting in the final over, including three consecutive sixes, led India to a competitive total. She scored a quick 56 off 27 balls, supported by Deepti Sharma’s boundary off the last ball. Molineux took two wickets for Australia but conceded 46 runs, with 23 coming in the final over. India’s 170/4 sets up a crucial match, with their bowlers now tasked to defend the total for a spot in the Women’s T20 World Cup semifinals.
