Indian eves book last four berth with 186-run win over Kiwis
Derby (UK): Skipper Mithali Raj (109, 123b, 11×4) led from the front with a brilliant hundred and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad (5/15) spun a web around Kiwi batswomen as India crushed New Zealand by 186 runs to seal a semifinal spot in the ICC Women’s World Cup, here Saturday.
Put into bat, India recovered from an early wobble to score a challenging 265 for seven in their final league match. Mithali was well-supported by Harmanpreet Kaur (60, 90b, 7×4) and Veda Krishnamurthy (70, 45b, 7×4, 2×6). India then produced a superb bowling display to dismiss the Kiwis for 79 in just 25.3 overs.
Gayakwad was the pick of the bowlers with Deepti Sharma (2/26), Jhulan Goswami (1/14), Shikha Pandey (1/12) and Poonam Yadav (1/12) also joining the party.
“Extremely happy. For a couple of us, this will be the last World Cup, so our first aim was to enter semifinals,” said Mithali, who was adjudged the player of the match for her ton. “I’ve always dreamt of getting runs for the country. The hunger never dies. There were two vital stands, with Harmanpreet and Veda. After the powerplays, we needed more runs. Her (Krishnamurthy’s) 70 was as important as my 100. Harmanpreet’s knock was important too,” Mithali said.
Gayakwad said, “I was out for six games but I didn’t feel bad. We were doing so well, I was happy. When I got the chance, I wanted to give my all. This is my best performance; I hadn’t taken a five-for previously, so this is special.”
Chasing 266 for a win, the Kiwi batswomen never got going. They lost wickets at regular intervals and could not even reach the three-figure mark. Gayakwad destroyed the middle and lower-order of their batting after Goswami and Verma had made early inroads.
Earlier, India were reduced to 21 for two in the eighth over but a 132-run stand between Mithali and Harmanpreet brought them back into the game. Then after Harmanpreet and Deepti had left in quick succession, Krishnamurthy and Mithali added a crucial 108 runs for the fifth wicket to put India in a position of strength.
Mithali, who in the earlier match against Australia became the highest run-getter in ODIs and first batswoman to reach 6,000 runs, continued with her purple patch. She has already hit three half centuries and a 46 not out, and followed it up with another vital knock in what was a virtual knockout game for the Women in Blue. She held the Indian innings together after Smriti Mandhana (13) and Punam Raut (four) had fallen early.
