What a spell of bowling from Sneh Rana at the death. Sciver who held the anchor down well throughout the chase erred at a crucial juncture in the end. India’s sloppy fielding and bowling in the initial overs notwithstanding, Rana’s simple and effective bowling kept India a quarter above the host at the finish line.
Jubilation and despair. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Post Match comments
Rana fires in the blockhole and Bouchier misses the first ball. Bouchier gets a single to mid-off. Rana to Brunt, OUT! Brunt holes out to mid-off. Harmanpreet is pumped as she grabs a simple catch. 13 needed from three and Bouchier is on strike. Bouchier lobs to long-on and sub fielder Harleen drops the catch but only gives away a single. Rana fires into the blockhole and Ecclestone only gets a single! Ecclestone pumps the ball for a SIX but falls short of the final by FOUR runs! INDIA is through to the final of the inaugural women’s cricket final at CWG!
Katherine Brunt c Kaur b Rana 0 (2b)
Sneh Rana to ball the final over.
Pooja Vastrakar is up with the ball. Two singles to start things off and Sciver hammers the third ball for a massive SIX over mid-wicket! Vastrakar strays to the pads and the ball flies off Sciver’s feet past Taniya for FOUR! Sciver hits a full ball down to deep mid-wicket and attempts for two runs. A fine throw from Mandhana and Taniya smashes the stumps as Sciver’s dive goes in vain! Sciver falls for 41 at a crucial moment in the chase and Katherine Brunt walks in. An excellent bouncer to finish the over and Brunt fails to ut bat to ball.
Nat Sciver run out (Mandhana/†Bhatia) 41 (43b 2x4 1x6)
Sneh Rana returns. Rana to Sciver, OUT! Run out at the non-striker’s end! Sciver pushes the ball to cover and sets off on a single before straddling back. Jones is caught off-guard and Rana flicks the stumps. A massive wicket for India as Maia Bouchier walks in. Rana fires one into the pads but Sciver survives a review with an inside-edge to the pad. Rana fires into the blockhole and Sciver keeps strike with a single to deep mid-wicket.
Deepti continues to vary her lengths with adept precision. Jones drives through cover for a single. Sciver slides the ball down to fine leg for another run. Jones retains strike with a single to point.
Jones aims to lap Shafali but sends it straight to Taniya’s shoulder. Jones drives it straight to cover and a misfield from Renuka concedes a single. Verma drills the ball full and Jones cuts it fine through point for FOUR. Poor bowling from Shafali as she wafts a delivery outside the off-stump and Jones reverse sweeps for FOUR.
Deepti hands a full-toss and Sciver fails to put it past the deep square leg fielder. Excellent lengths from Deepti to deny any room for the batters. Jones aims to manufacture a reverse sweep but connects it straight to Renuka at short-third.
Radha continues. Jones miscues the slot but clears the mid-off fielder and beats her to the fence for FOUR. The fielder instantly drops back to the boundary and Jones gets a single. Nine runs off the over, England moving safely alongside the asking rate.
Renuka returns. A loose delivery outside the off-stump first up and Sciver cuts through point for FOUR. Renuka follows up with an excellent nip-backer to beat Sciver’s outside-edge.
Radha Yadav into the attack. She slides one down to Sciver’s pads who misses the sweep. The ball is visibly sliding down leg but India opts for a review. India loses the review as the replays suggest that the ball is miles away from the leg-stump. A good over for India as Radha just gives away three runs.
Things are spicing up in Edgbaston. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Shafali slides one sharply down leg and Taniya’s misfield concedes an extra run. Shafali offers a couple of loose deliveries outside the off-stump but the batters fail to get the ball past the off-side belt.
Shafali Verma into the attack
Vastrakar’s discipline helps India take the asking rate up by a few rungs. Just the five runs from the over as Sciver and Jones play it safe.
Rana tosses one up outside the off-stump and Sciver launches the ball over mid-off for FOUR. Rana gives ample time for Wyatt to unleash a paddle for FOUR. Rana to Wyatt, OUT! One too many from Wyatt. Wyatt attempts another paddle from well outside the off-stump and ends up dragging the ball back to the stumps in a bizarre dismissal. The Indians are charged up now as the danger batter departs. Danni Wyatt b Rana 35 (27b 6x4
Three singles on the trot as Vastrakar pins the batters on a tight line. Vastrakar follows up with a sharp bouncer and Wyatt nearly swats it on the full to the deep fine leg fielder.
Pooja Vastrakar into the attack
Sneh Rana into the attack. Capsey premeditates the reverse sweep and manifests it into a FOUR. Capsey attempts for a second run after gliding the ball past backward point but is sent back by Wyatt! Rana receives a throw from Taniya and flicks the ball in the nick of time. Capsey’s dive falls short of the line by a whisker! India gets a big breakthrough and skipper Nat Sciver walks in for England.
Alice Capsey run out (†Bhatia/Rana) 13 (8b 2x4)
FIFTY up for England. Renuka attempts to swing the ball in but the half volley helps Wyatt to ease into another late cut for FOUR.
Capsey exploits the field by gliding Deepti down to the fine leg fence for FOUR. Deepti cramps the batters with a renewed line of attack.
Meghna gets some shape on the ball but Wyatt slaps it through cover for FOUR. Meghna goes full and straight. Wyatt shuffles across and whips the ball through mid-wicket for another FOUR. This is poor from Meghna. She strays to the pads and Wyatt obliges with a deft glance for FOUR.
Deepti to Dunkley, OUT! Deepti traps Dunkley with a quicker one that slides down straight to the front pad. No hesitations for the umpire and Dunkley decides against a review.
Sophia Dunkley lbw b Sharma 19 (10b 4x4)
Deepti Sharma replaces Renuka
Meghna sends in a length delivery and Wyatt’s simple push races across the turf for FOUR. Taniya stands up to the stumps once again. Low full toss and Dunkley swats it over mid-on for FOUR. Meghna finally finds her line and whiffs past Wyatt’s blade.
Meghna Singh into the attack
Full toss to start proceedings and Dunkley powers it down the ground for FOUR and it’s a no ball! Dunkley whips the free hit ball, a half-volley for FOUR over wide mid-on. Renuka, almost instantly, asks the keeper to stand up to the stumps. A wide follows. Dunkley gets off strike with a single. Renuka sends in an incisive in-swinger and Wyatt plays a deft late cut for FOUR.
Back for the chase. Renuka Singh Thakur takes the new ball. Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley walk out for the chase.
ENGLAND NEEDS 165 TO WIN AND REACH GOLD MEDAL MATCH
India would probably feel it’s 20-30 runs short on this belter of a pitch. Smriti Mandhana’s pristine touch play reeled in all the rewards off the surface and some iffy bowling from England in the first half. However, Sciver’s constant cropping and changing resulted in three quick wickets and the innings once again boiled down to a Jemimah-Deepti rescue act. Will 164 be enough? Have your say on the poll below.
Deepti gets a scoopy over Jones and sneaks in two quick runs. Brunt is in disbelief with the fielding. Slower bouncer and Deepti loads it straight up. Shouts of “mine” from Brunt and she completes a safe catch. Jemimah attempts to run two with Vastrakar and a good throw from the deep has Vastrakar short of the crease at the non-striker’s end. Brunt finishes with a slower ball and Jemimah carves it over cover to find FOUR runs off the last ball.
Deepti Sharma c & b Brunt 22 (20b 2x4)
Sarah Glenn slides the ball in quick and Jemimah nimbly carves an inside-out shot for FOUR. Deepti and Jemimah have once again provided India the firepower in the death overs.
Nat Sciver stays outside the off-stump and Jemimah chips it over mid-off for FOUR. Sciver hits length and Jemimah gets a thick outside-edge through the vacant slip cordon for FOUR. Full toss and Jemimah slaps it over mid-off for another FOUR!
Katherine Brunt returns. England’s checked the scoring rate brilliantly as Brunt maintains a tight line around the wicket. Brunt sends in a bouncer and Deepti mistimes the hook to mid-on and a straightforward catch goes down the drain as Freya Kemp spills it.
Deepti Sharma laps the ball past fine for two FOURs off Ecclestone, forcing the bowler to switch sides.
Glenn beats Jemimah in the air and Amy Jones fumbles with a stumping opportunity! A quiet over in India’s perspective. Just the two runs off it.
Kemp pushes one into the slot and Harmanpreet sets herself for a cracking SIX over long-on! Kemp drops short and Harmanpreet mistimes the pull straight to backward square-leg. What a snap for England. The skipper falls for 20. Deepti Sharma in at 5. Freya offers length and Jemimah lobs the ball over mid-on for FOUR.
Harmanpreet Kaur c Bouchier b Kemp 20 (20b 2x4 1x6)
Glenn wafts the ball in line and Harmanpreet unleashes her favourite sweep shot through mid-wicket for FOUR. Harmanpreet scoops the ball past short fine leg for two runs and finally seems to settle in now. 100 up for India.
Issy Wong replaces Ecclestone. She strays to the pads and Jemimah nudges the ball through square for a single. Length ball from Issy and Harmanpreet holds her ground and powers it over mid-on for FOUR. Issy sends in a good bouncer to Jemimah who sheepishly hooks it towards deep fine leg. Seven off the over.
Freya Kemp offers a hint of room and Jemimah creams it past point for an exquisite FOUR! Freya tails the ball back in sharply and hits high on Harmanpreet’s pad once again.
Ecclestone is back. Harmanpreet yet to get off the mark after five deliveries. Ecclestone slides the ball in quick and hits Harmanpreet’s pad. The umpire raises the finger and Harmanpreet takes an instant review. Replays suggest an inside-edge and Harmanpreet surives.
Nat Sciver returns. Slower-delivery on length and Mandhana scoops it straight to short fine leg! Absolute despair for the Indian opener who bottles a chance to go big. A crucial wicket for England and perhaps draws the momentum back level. Harmanpreet Kaur in at 4.
Smriti Mandhana c Wong b Sciver 61 (32b 8x4 3x6)
Freya drops short and Shafali sends it straight up. An easy catch for Katherine Brunt on the edge of the circle and England finally gets a breakthrough. Shafali departs and Jemimah Rodrigues walks in at 3.
Shafali Verma c Brunt b Kemp 15 (17b 2x4
Freya Kemp replaces Ecclestone.
England’s frantically shuffling through its options. Sarah Glenn is into the attack. Glenn wafts the ball into the slot and Mandhana times the ball over long-on for another SIX!
Sophie Ecclestone up with the ball. Short from Ecclestone and Mandhan scythes it over square leg for FOUR - FIFTY for Mandhana off 23 balls. Shoddy start from Ecclestone as Shafali finally gets into the act with back-to-back boundaries down the ground.
Nat Sciver into the attack. Mandhana greets her with another SIX through wide long-on! She is in some touch tonight. Sciver comes around the wicket and Mandhana scoops a length delivery over the keeper for FOUR. FIFTY up for India.
Short from Capsey and Mandhana bludgeons the ball across the wicket for a massive SIX. Effortless from Mandhana! Wong wafts one in and Mandhan lobs it over mid-on for another FOUR.
Issy Wong replaces Capsey
Short from Brunt and Mandhana slides the ball through square for another FOUR. Full and wide from Brunt, and Mandhana gets a thick outside edge past Jones for a FOUR to the third-man fence.
Alice tosses one up and Shafali walks down the track to push the ball for a single. Mandhana and Shafali rotate strike with a couple of singles. Width on offer and Mandhana steps out and bisects mid-off and extra cover for a crispy FOUR. Shot from Capsey and Mandhana easily flicks it through mid-wicket for another FOUR.
Alice Capsey from the opposite end
Runs straightaway for India as Smriti carves out a fuller delivery from Brunt through point for a single. A hint of shape from Brunt as Shafali tucks the ball to mid-on to get off the mark. Shot! Mandhana drives Brunt down the ground for a beautiful FOUR. A scrambled seam delivery from Brunt but Mandhana was watchful in her approach on the front-foot stride.
Katherine Brunt takes the new ball.
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana walk out for India.
TOSS: India wins toss, to bat
India Playing XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Taniya Bhatia (wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Sneh Rana, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh
England Playing XI: Danielle Wyatt, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Natalie Sciver (c), Amy Jones (wk), Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Freya Kemp, Issy Wong, Sarah Glenn
We are 15 minutes away from the toss. Here’s a look at the head-to-head stats:
Matches played: 22; India won: 5; England won: 17
India vs England semifinal preview
Harmanpreet’s team India will have a shot at history when it faces England in the semifinal of the women’s T20 cricket tournament at CWG 2022 in Birmingham.
With the head-to-head heavily tilted in England’s favour, India will have its task cut out when it steps out at Edgbaston this afternoon. India will hope its batting order fires in unison. Given the form its bowlers have carried through the tournament, a close finish cannot be overlooked.
India vs England semifinal squads, predicted XI, Dream11 fantasy team
Predicted playing XI
IND vs ENG squads
INDIA VS ENGLAND DREAM11 FANTASY TEAM
When and where to watch the India vs England semifinal at CWG 2022?
The India vs England semifinal will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network from 3:30pm IST and streamed online on Sony LIV.
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