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Derby, July 20: India stunned defending champions Australia by 36 runs in a high scoring second semi-final match to enter the final of the ICC Women's World Cup, here on Thursday (July 20).
Women's WC Special site; Photos
Defending a massive total of 281 in 42 overs, India restricted the Southern Stars to 245 to set up summit clash with hosts England at Lord's on Sunday (July 23).
Elyse Villani (75 off 58) and Jake Blackwell (90 off 56 balls) batted exceptionally well in the run chase, but their efforts went in vain as they were bundled out in 40.1 overs.
Blackwell was giving Indian bowlers a run for their money and was the last wicket to perish as Australia went down fighting.
Indian women have now entered their second World Cup final and the Mithali Raj-led side will be the second team to play a World Cup final after Kapil Dev-led Indian side in 1983.
With enough runs on the board, confident Indian seamers Goswami (2/35 in 8 overs) and Shikha Pandey (2/17 in 6 overs) came up with brilliant opening spells.
Opener Beth Mooney and skipper Meg Lanning were cleaned up by Pandey and Goswami respectively. Ellyse Perry (38) and Elyse Villani (75) added 105 runs for the fourth wicket but it was always a catching up game for the title contenders.
Blackwell however gave some jittery moments, hitting 90 off 56 balls with 10 fours and three sixes before she missed the line off a Deepti Sharma (3/59 in 7.1 overs) delivery, much to the delight of the Indian team.
The Derby Ground proved to be a happy hunting one for Mithali Raj and her team as they won all five matches here.
Filled with pride seeing @BCCIWomen perform like this.Congratulations on the great victory. Unforgettable knock by @ImHarmanpreet
— Kapil Dev (@therealkapildev) July 20, 2017
Earlier, Kaur played inarguably one of the finest ODI innings ever to lead India to an imposing 281 for four against Australia and set the tone in her team's favour.
Kaur's sizzling innings of 171* ensured India's target of 281 proved too much for defending champions Australia to achieve in the second semi-final of the ICC Women's World Cup.
The Indian vice-captain smashed her way to a career-best magical 171 off 115 balls, leaving the Australian bowlers in a daze in a match that has been curtailed to 42 overs a side due to inclement weather.
Finalists! 🇮🇳😃👍#WWC17 pic.twitter.com/AUZtGelNCM
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 20, 2017
This was India's highest ever total against the Southern Stars and could well be a match-winning total. The innings could well be termed as the best ever played by an Indian woman in the limited overs cricket.
Harmanpreet's third ODI century was embellished with 20 fours and as many as seven sixes. This is also the second highest individual score in ODIs for India behind Deepti Sharma's 188 not out against South Africa earlier this year.
Take a bow, @ImHarmanpreet 🙌
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 20, 2017
Mobbed by her teammates & rightly so, what an innings!#AUSvIND #WWC17 pic.twitter.com/xAOtu7J4WQ
It was out of the world power-hitting by the girl from Moga district in Punjab -- something that has made her a stand-out player for India.
(Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar in awe of Harmanpreet Kaur's knock)
The milestone from 51 to 100 was reached in 26 balls while she raced to 150 from 101 in mere 17 balls. The sixes flew from her bat with monotonic regularity as the Aussie bowlers had no clue as to what hit them. After a dry run during the better part of the league stage, India's most sought after T20 cricketer stepped up just when it mattered the most.
After a useful 60 against New Zealand in the virtual quarter-final, Harmanpreet upped the ante like never before.
👏👏👏👏 Outstanding @ImHarmanpreet! #WWC17 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/OVHWXfKwdz
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 20, 2017
She batted like as if there was no tomorrow as she repeatedly hit the troika of left-arm spinner Jess Jonasen (0/63 in 7 overs), off-break bowler Ashleigh Gardner (1/43 in 8 overs) and leg-spinner Kirsten Beans (1/49 in 8 overs) with utter disdain.
Her footwork against the spinners was exemplary as she would repeatedly come down the track to loft them in the arc between long-on and deep mid-wicket.
A Harmanpreet special! Kaur hits a stunning 171* off 115 as India post 281/4 against Australia in the #WWC17 semi-final! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/VXoUZ6X3C8
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 20, 2017
She seemed in some discomfort with side strain but that did not deter her from targetting the on-side as a whopping 137 runs was added in 13.4 overs along with Deepti Sharma (25) for fourth wicket.
Such was her focus that once she scampered home for a double to complete her hundred, she was seen shouting at Deepti after she flung her helmet in disgust.
She regained her composure, said sorry to a teary-eyed junior and like a woman on mission completely annihilated the opposition bowlers.
OneIndia News/PTI
