Birmingham, Aug 8: Australia continued their dominating show as they handed the Indian women’s cricket team a nine-run loss in the women’s cricket gold medal match in Birmingham on Sunday.
Women’s cricket returned to the Commonwealth Games after 1998 and it was a memorable outing for the Indian women’s cricket team, who walked away with a silver-medal. The Australian team continued their title-winning run as they pulled off a scintillating comeback to deny India a memorable gold.
After opting to bat, Australia posted 161/8 as Beth Mooney struck a scintillating half-century. After Renuka Singh handed India an early wicket, removing opener Alyssa Healy for just seven, Mooney and skipper Meg Landing set Australia up for a big total. The opener along with skipper Lanning added 74 runs off 47 deliveries.
Radha Yadav’s runout of skipper Lanning (36), put the pressure back on Australia as they struggled to build partnerships. From 83/2 in 10.1 overs, the regular wickets, restricted Australia to 161/8. For India, Renuka Singh and Sneh Rana pocketed two wickets each, while Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav accounted for one wicket each.
In reply, India lost quick wickets on top as they were reduced to 22/2 in 2.4 overs. But skipper Harmanpreet Kaur turned it around and put India on top with a scintillating half-century. The Indian skipper and Jemimah Rodrigues put up a sizzling 71-ball 96 partnership for the third-wicket to put India on the driver’s seat. But Mega Schutt came to Australia’s rescue, removing Rodrigues (33), while Ashleigh Gardner pocketed the big wicket of skipper Kaur (65).
From cruising at 2 for 118, India lost eight wickets for just 34 runs as Australian scripted a sensation comeback to bag the gold medal and add another title to their trophy-laden cabinet. Australia bowled India out for 152 in 19.3 overs. Gardner led the bowling attack with a three-wicket haul, while Schutt picked up two. Darcie Brown and Jess Jonassen accounted for one wicket each as India fell to a heartbreaking loss.
Despite losing the final, it was a historic outing for the Indian women’s cricket team, who clinched their first medal at the Commonwealth Games.