IND-W vs AUS-W | India register highest-ever chase in knockouts history to set finals date with South Africa

Asked to bowl first, India got off to an ominous start in the semi-final as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur let slip a sitter in the third over to hand counterpart Alyssa Healy a reprieve. However, the drop did not hurt India much as the skipper chopped on a Kranti Gaud delivery in the fifth over to end her 15-ball struggle but before Ellyse Perry could come to the crease, the players walked off due to rain for a 15-minute break. It was all the time Australia needed to get back on track as Litchfield quickly piled on an overthrows four with a boundary of her own and then another couple in Gaud's next effort. Perry joined the party with a hattrick of fours against the pacer to bring the powerplay to end end with the score a handsome 72/1. The spread of field did little to disrupt the duo's momentum as Litchfield soon brought up a 45-ball half-century. The 22-year-old brought the second o10-over phase to a similar end as the first, taking Radha Yadav four three overs as the score further inflated to 135/1. Litchfield brought up her ton off 77-balls in the 24th over, the fastest in a World Cup knockout game, but not without a slowdown as five overs brought Australia just 18 runs but India failed to capitalize as Richa Ghosh failed to hold on to a thick edge off the opener's willow. Litchfield made the hosts pay with two consecutive sixes off Deepti Sharma and even though she succumbed soon after for 119 to Amanjot Kaur, the damage had been done with Australia 180/2 after just 27.2 overs. Nevertheless, Perry quietly btought up a 66-ball half-century at the other end while Beth Mooney took on the role of aggressor, even if it only lasted 22 balls for 24 runs. Annabel Sutherland followed the very next over to Shree Charani's bowling and when Perry also returned for 77 in the 40th over, the hosts suddenly sniffed a chance of snaffing up Australia under 300 with the score now 243/5. However, Tahlia McGrath walked in with different plans as she struck two quick boundaries, enough to inspire Ashleigh Gardner who had scratched along to four in 12 deliveries thus far. The all-rounder began dealing in boundaries, either side of having her partner run-out, and in Kim Garth's company brought up a 41-ball half-century. Two sixes followed as celebration in the penultimate over before holing out before Deepti kept it tody in the final over to restrict Australia to 338/9.

In response, Shafali Varma began confidently with a four in the first over and doubled her tally with a glorious stroke the next over, only to be pinned in front of the stumps very next ball by Kim Garth. With Harleen Deol dropped for the encounter, Jemimah Rodrigues was promoted to number three as she joined her good friend Smriti Mandhana at the crease. The duo struggled to get going at first, bogged down by dot balls, but finally let loose in the sixth over worth 11 runs. Four more boundaries followed with the field inside but just when India was beginning to get a foothold in the chase, Mandhana got the faintest of edges down leg off Garth and had to walk off for a run-a-ball 24 despite not agreeing with the decision. Nevertheless, with the powerplay score a healthy 60/2, Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur settled about their business with the former taking on the role of enforcer. Despite struggling with the bolume of dot balls, the duo scored enough boundaries to take 66 runs off the next 10 overs and keep India afloat. Rodrigues brought up a 56-ball half-century with a gorgeous sweep and her skipper replicated a few overs later, hers coming off 65 balls. With the partnership now well over a century and a well-rounded 150 required off the final 20 overs, Harmanpreet decided the time had come to accelarate. A barrage of boundaries followed, and by the time she departed in the 36th over for an 88-ball 89, India were left needing seven and half an over. However, by now the energy had been sapped out of Jemimah, placing the onus for runscoring on Deepti's shoulders. The all-rounder responded with aplomb with a 17-ball 24 before getting run-out, and Richa Ghosh mirrored the effort with a 16-ball 26, but India still needed 29 in the final four overs. In a display of phenomenal grit and adrenaline, Rodrigues scampered three more fours in the next two overs to practically seal matters before Amanjot Kaur scored the winning runs with nine balls to spare.

When India defeats Australia in ODI World Cup knockout match 

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) 

God man

An innings fit to be ranked among the very best by an Indian by . And she will be the first to admit the support from Harmanpreet, Deepti and Richa. This is an astonishing run-chase

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) 

True

India into the final. What a game. What a performance 🫡



Jemimah Rodrigues - What an innings 🏏



Took the team past the finish line. The entire nation will be glued to their TVs this Sunday

— DK (@DineshKarthik) 

Turning point

CELEBRATION BY HARMANPREET KAUR 🥺 

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)