When Renuka demolished Australia’s famous top order, there was a big upset Alyssa Healy (0), Beth Mooney (10), skipper Meg Lanning (8) and Tahlia McGrath (14) followed one after the other, getting them out for 34/4 in the fifth over.
However, backing away from the initial setbacks in force, the seven-time ODI and current T20 world champion showed why she is a true, unbeatable ‘superpower’ of women. Cricket, Ashley Gardner (52 not out, 35b, 9×4), Grace Harris (37, 20b, 5×4, 2×6) and No. 9 Alana King (18, 16b, 3×4) scored match-winning half-centuries. Australia’s batting depth as the gold medal favorites chased down the target with one over to spare.
Gardner and King added 47 runs in just 29 balls for their unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership, the latter hitting off-spinner Deepti Sharma for a four at a ‘cow corner’, known as ‘King’s corner’. Because of her success in hitting the ball in that area in the Women’s Big Bash League. King’s solid batting shows Australia clearly don’t have a tail!
However, it was Harris’s free-flowing, stroke-filled, counter-attacking innings that brought life back to life in Oz Chase, who looked bleak until No. Harris’s aggression put pressure on Gardner as the pair added 51 runs from 34 balls for the sixth wicket to bring the Aussies back into the game. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur took a brilliant catch running backwards at mid-off to end Harris’ fireworks, but Gardner and King ended the job for Australia.
It’s hard to see anyone stop Australia from winning the women’s cricket tournament on this Commonwealth GamesBut it was India’s best chance to take out a stunner. Sadly, they couldn’t close the game. India must now quickly pull themselves out of this heartbreak as they take on Pakistan on Sunday in what is a do or die, high-pressure encounter for them, given that Barbados is the second team in Group ‘B’.
India will still win hearts with Renuka’s sizzling show on Friday. Taking advantage of the rewards of sticking to a fine line outside off, the 26-year-old Himachal speedster got India off to the right start when she dismissed Deepti Sharma for a duck at first slip off the second ball of the innings. Lanning cuts him point to point, while Mooney tries to bite him as he cuts his delivery to his stumps. He then cleared the dangerous McGrath’s stump with ‘Jaffa’ as the ball swung beautifully after pitching, finding the gate between the batsman and his bat.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (52; 34b, 8×4, 1×6) played a decent innings but India were 10-15 runs short of the tie. Scores: Australia Women 157/7 (Gardner 52*, Renuka 4-18) beat India Women 154/8 (Harmanpreet 52, Shafali 48, Jonassen 4-22) by three wickets.