Australia have powered to a mighty total in the second semifinal of the Women's World Cup against India in Navi Mumbai. Opting to bat, the defending champions rode on a majestic century from Phoebe Litchfield (119 off 93) along with fifties from Ellyse Perry (77 off 88) and Ashleigh Gardner (63 off 45) on a flat batting surface with small ground dimensions.
Due to overcast conditions, there was a bit of swing on offer early on and India's seamers did start well with some accurate lines and lengths. When Alyssa Healy fell early to Kranti Goud, the hosts were off to a top start but Litchfield counterpunched with Perry to put the innings back on track.
It didn't help India's cause that they dropped catches and were messy in the fielding department. Both batters escaped due to technology as Perry overturned an LBW decision while Litchfield was rightly given not out after the on-field call was initially out for a bump ball. The duo made India pay with a sizzling partnership of 155 from just 133 deliveries.
At one stage, Australia were threatening to go past 350 or even 360 but Litchfield's dismissal gave India some respite. Shree Charani picked up two big wickets of Beth Mooney and Annabel Sutherland to slow Australia's progress even as Perry continued to milk runs at the other end. However, when Perry fell to Radha Yadav, Australia had suddenly slipped to 243-5 from a position of 180/1.
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India's hopes of putting a squeeze on the innings didn't work as Gardner then intervened with a blistering innings that had four boundaries and as many maximums. She farmed the strike and even wickets falling at the other end, kept Australia in a position of strength. It took a needless run out to end her stay just after she had struck Radha for consecutive sixes.
Australia could have gotten close to 350 despite that collapse but Gardner's run out helped India to prevent that. However, 339 is still a gargantuan total to chase in an ODI even for a normal game, let alone a semifinal. India will need to record the highest-ever run chase in ODI cricket to qualify for the final.
Brief scores: Australia 338 in 49.5 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 119, Ellyse Perry 77, Ashleigh Gardner 64; Shree Charani 2-49) against India