India and Australia locked horns in the first semi-final of the Women’s 20-20 World Cup 2023 on Thursday, 23rd February. The Australian skipper Meg Lanning won the toss and decided to bat first at the Newlands in Cape Town. Batting first, the Aussies posted a decent and quite a bit big total of 172 runs for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
While chasing the target, Harmanpreet Kaur & co. couldn’t cross the line despite of fighting knocks from the skipper herself and number four batter Jemimah Rodrigues. Team India lost the match by five runs and Meg Lanning’s girls have reached the final of the eighth edition of the 20-20 World Cup.
The Indian cricket fans were also disappointed with another elimination of the Indian women’s team from a multi-nation marquee tournament. They took to Twitter to bemoan the defeat of the women in blue in the all-important game against mighty Australia.
Here’s how fans reacted to India’s five-run defeat in the semi-final against Australia:
Unfortunate or too casual – That Harmanpreet Kaur runout was the turning point…
We could have won this but still feel this Indian team has a lot of scope of improvement. Hopefully WPL and sharing the dressing room with overseas players will do tons of good. #INDWvsAUSW
— Rajeesh Nair ?? (@iRajeeshNair) February 23, 2023
These semi final run outs hurt more than break ups pic.twitter.com/F7u29MiKib
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) February 23, 2023
Hamesha se ALMOST hi hota hai. We can't settle for almost. Mard nai kar sakte atleast inse expect kar raha tha.
— Archer (@poserarcher) February 23, 2023
?? ????? ??? ?? ?? ????? ???
????? ???????? ?????? ???? ??
? Kaur #INDWvsAUSW pic.twitter.com/vJ4dZNFINP— Roshan Jha (@RoshanJha_1) February 23, 2023
isse badiya to MENS INDIAN cricket team ..Start me hi haar jaati hai…kam se kam UMEED to nhi todti..jeet ka barosa lagake haarti to nhi..#INDWvsAUSW
— vi (@nirmaly62958004) February 23, 2023
What a fight back innings..
Really so proud of you girls…
Very very hard luck ??????#INDWvsAUSW— MadhuYogi????? #Devyaan's Chiththi (@m_mainly_for_SG) February 23, 2023
???? ???????? ?????? ??? ?? ?? ????! ??#INDWvsAUSW
— ???? ???? ?? (@RoliNigam2) February 23, 2023
#INDWvsAUSW Roj ka wahi hai 2-3 player shi khelenge baki sb cheerleaders hain aur jeete hue match ko kaise bhi krke haar jao .Consistent performance vs australia as always
Never learn from your mistakes kyuki bench strength hai nhi to hme team se kaun hi nikal dega #TumseNaHoga— pickle_rick (@rick_picklerick) February 23, 2023
Indian team ka knockout match me haarna ek din mere heart attack ka reason ban jayega ???#INDWvsAUSW #knockoutfights
— Yash Modi (@yash_00017_) February 23, 2023
Speaking of the action of the match, the yellow outfits got a strong foundation of 52 runs for the first wicket between openers Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney in the 7.3 overs. Beth Mooney played a brilliant half-century knock of 54 runs off 37 balls with seven boundaries and a six to her name. Subsequently, the skipper Meg Lanning also delivered an unbeaten skipper knock of 49 runs off 34 balls with four boundaries and two sixes followed by Ashleigh Gardner’s 31-run knock off just 18 balls including five boundaries.
These knocks helped Australia to post a total of 172 runs for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 20 overs. While chasing the target, the Indian team faced some early blows as they lost the top three only on a total score of 28 runs. But later on, the pair of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues stitched a crucial partnership of 69 runs for the fourth wicket before the latter fell prey to Darcie Brown in the 11th over of the second innings. Rodrigues departed on an individual score of 43 runs off just 24 balls.
Subsequently, the half-century of 54 runs by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur went in vain as she couldn’t finish across the line for India. Eventually, Australia won the match by 5 runs by restricting India to 167 runs for the loss of five wickets in the entire 20 overs.
Ashleigh Gardner won the ‘player of the match award for her match-defining performance at both the bat (31 runs) and the ball (2/37).
