AUCKLAND, New Zealand — A classy 97 by Meg Lanning
confirmed unbeaten
Australia's place in the Women's World Cup semi-finals as a
record run chase saw them to victory over India on Saturday.
اضافة اعلان
In a match that went down to the wire in Auckland, title favorites
Australia reached 280–4 to overtake India's 277–7 with three balls to
spare.
The previous best successful run chase in a Women's World
Cup match was 258–2 set by Australia against
Sri Lanka at Bristol in
2017.
Australian captain Lanning guided the innings with her
player-of-the-match performance and said she feels she is coming into form
after scores of five and naught in her previous two games.
"It was nice to contribute. I was disappointed after
the last couple of games," she said.
"It was a belter of a wicket, it came on really nicely,
there wasn't a lot of turn and any width given was really hard to defend.
"So, yeah, we'll take the win today, but understand
we've got a bit to work on."
Australia have a superior run rate over the only other
unbeaten side, South Africa. The two meet in a much-anticipated showdown in
Wellington on Tuesday.
The other three places in the last four of the tournament
are still up for grabs although
South Africa seem sure to go through.
India, sent into bat by Australia, believed they had set a
competitive target after Mithali Raj, Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur all
scored half centuries.
But Australia were undaunted and received a rollicking start
from Rachel Haynes and Alyssa Healy, who together raced to 121 at better than
six an over before Healy was out for 72.
Haynes, the tournament's leading run scorer, went in the
following over when she edged a short-pitched delivery from Pooja Vastrakar to
wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh.
Lanning, with Elysse Perry for support, punished the Indian
bowlers and the pair put on 103, of which Perry contributed 28.
Australia needed eight to win off the final over and Beth
Mooney, who had replaced Perry, went four, two, four, to seal the match.
India, after being rocked by two early wickets, were rescued
by Raj and Bhatia, who turned the innings around with a 130-run stand for the
third wicket. Harmanpreet Kaur and Vastrakar added a further 64 at the
close.
The Indian total was also boosted by 29 extras including a
phenomenal 24 wides, of which 10 came in Perry's opening over.
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