ICC Women’s World T20: Indian women stare at exit after England defeat

Spinners fought hard to retrieve something out of the match, but the target of 91 was always going to be surpassed. (Source: AP)

What was perceived as the best opportunity for India’s women to make a good fist out of the World T20 in home conditions looks destined to end on a sour note, as they were edged out by England in a low-scoring thriller, their second defeat in as many matches. After a dismal performance with the bat, their spinners fought hard to retrieve something out of the match, but the target of 91 was always going to be surpassed, which England accomplished with some nerves.

India got everything they might have wished for to keep their semifinal hopes alive after a narrow defeat to Pakistan. The surface was to aid spinners as the match progressed and they won a vital toss, only for the batters to collapse mindlessly. The hosts lost V Vanitha in the third ball of the first over. With the addition of 15 more runs to the tally, fellow opener Smriti Mandhana to perished.

But the ever-reliable Mithali Raj and Shikha Pandey combined to revive them with an alliance of 29 runs. That was as good as Indian batters got in the match. In the space of five balls, both of them floundered. Shikha was brilliantly caught by Katherine Brunt at deep midwicket in an attempt to increase the tempo. Mithali, who was unusually rickety, swished one to backward point. In the next over Veda Krishnamurthy too exited as India teetered to 5 for 52. When Jhulan Goswami too was dismissed, India’s semifinal hopes seemed as good as over. But with a few lusty blows Harmanpreet Kaur gave some respectability to the total.

Thrilling climax

With less than an five runs per over required, England began cautiously, which the situation warranted. India opener with off-spinner Anjum Patel, but she couldn’t provide an early breakthrough, and in the third over she was replaced with left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht, who struck with her first ball, accounted for Charlotte Edwards. However, Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Taylor stitched up 32 runs to set the platform up for them.

Just when the match seemed moving away beyond even India’s wildest dreams, Harmanpreet, with her tricky mix of leg-breaks and off-breaks, injected some belief into them, dismissing both the set batters off successive deliveries. The impressive Bisht was reintroduced and she nailed Heather Knight, Natalie Sciver and Lydia Greenway to suddenly turn the dynamics of the match. She then ran out Danielle Wyatt to have England reeling at 79 for 7. But once her spell was over, she returned with glittering figures of 4-0-21-4. England knew they could sneak in.

But there was more drama, as Jenny Gunn ran herself out with England requiring four more runs to overcome the target. Tragically, Harmanpreet, who was India’s best player on the day, spilled Shrubsole before the latter struck a boundary to complete England’s two-wicket win. India, though, have a mathematical chances of qualifying into the last four — that is they have to beat the West Indies in their last game and then bank on other teams’ fortunes. Mithali lamented their poor batting display. “We realised it was difficult to score runs. We could have shown more application with the ball to pull us through. But we are in contention. If we win against West Indies, we will have to depend on other results.