Mandhana sizzles as India enter semis after beating Ireland in rain-affected clash
Gqeberha: Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana stood out with a career-best 56-ball 87 as India entered the semifinals of the Women’s T20 World Cup with a five-run win over Ireland in a rain-affected match here on Sunday, Feb 20, a report in The Tribune,Chandigarh, says.
On a far from ideal wicket for batting and where most struggled to force the pace, Mandhana led by example with nine delectable fours and three sixes to help India reach 155/6 in 20 overs.
In reply, Ireland got off to a disastrous start as opener Amy Hunter (1) was run out before Renuka Singh bowled Orla Prendergast for nought.
Reeling at 2/1 in the very first over, Ireland recovered to reach 54/2 in the ninth over, when the heavens opened up and forced the players inside.
Play did not resume thereafter. At that point, Ireland needed need 102 runs in 70 balls and were five runs behind the DLS par score of 59, paving the way for India’s victory. When the game was interrupted, Gaby Lewis and skipper Laura Delany were batting on 32 and 17, respectively.
India are set to take on defending champions Australia in the last-four stage. This is India’s third successive semifinal appearance. They had finished runners-up in 2020.
Opening stand
After skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat, India were off to a fine start with the opening duo of Mandhana and Shafali Verma putting on 62 runs in just under 10 overs.
But Shafali (24) once again got out after getting a start, caught by Amy Hunter off the bowling of Delany.
Harmanpreet (13) joined Mandhana in the middle, and the two looked to build a steady partnership. Playing strokes turned out to be difficult on a surface that appeared to be a bit on the slower side.
Brief scores: India 155/6 (Mandhana 87, Verma 24; Delany 3/33, Prendergast 2/22); Ireland 54/2 in 8.2 overs (Lewis 32*, Delany 19*).
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