Melbourne:Australia’s women have overcome adversity, rising to the occasion to humble India and win the 2020 World T20 Cup in front of 86,174 at the MCG on International Women’s Day.
Alyssa Healy was bold and brilliant and her aggression threw the Indians off balance. The visitors opening bowler Deepti Sharma didn’t land her first three deliveries and the fielders, knocked on their heels from the power of Healy’s hitting, spilt two catches in the first four overs.
Healy, who could not score a run coming into the tournament, played the innings of her life. A performance to book-end the one by her husband Mitchell Starc in the 2015 World Cup at the same venue when he knocked over the Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum with his third delivery.
Starc skipped Australia’s last ODI in South Africa, flew home and watched the match.
Healy’s half century came from 33 deliveries, one of her five sixes travelled 83 metres, landing at the feet of the old Bay 13 and sparking cries on social media to push the boundaries back. Three others came in succession off the bowling of Shikha Pandey; two powerful drives down the ground, but the one to complete the hat-trick — a magnificent inside out shot over the cover boundary — was the best of the game and the tournament.
Michael Clarke said the shot was as good as you would see in any form of the game, saying it was the equal of anything Virat Kohli could produce.
Not done with the bat, Healy took a sharp catch keeping up to the stumps in the first over to dismiss the dangerous Shafali Verma (2) from the seam bowling of Megan Schutt. With the world’s best T20 batter removed Healy went back to a less aggressive position behind the stumps.
Fellow opener Beth Mooney gave her partner every opportunity, dropping the ball at her feet early to get Healy on strike. When they brought up their 100 partnership Healy was 63 and Mooney just 37. Healy was eventually caught on the rope for 75 in the 12th over. India was relieved but the damage had been done.
Mooney hit 10 boundaries and was still there on 78no when the innings ended with Australia posting a daunting 4-184.
Healy won player of the match and her partner Mooney player of the tournament for her 259 runs at an average of 64 – the mostin a World Cup.
Shikha Pandey, India’s opener had a bad day finishing with 0-52, Poonam Yadav, who created havoc when India beat Australia in the first game was tamed, taking her first wicket with her second last delivery.
Australia had used the tactic of ruffling Indian feathers with their pace attack, but Ellyse Perry broke down in the group stage and the side’s fastest bowler, Tayla Vlaeminck before a game was played. They didn’t need speed last night as the batters had already roughed up the opposition.
The visitors could not rise to the challenge. Verma fell in the first over. Taniya Bhatia, struck in the helmet attempting a sweep, retired hurt soon after. Jess Jonassen took the next two wickets and the match was effectively done by the sixth over of the second innings.
Megan Schutt finished with 4-18, Jonassen 3-20. The Australians won by 85 runs, India all out 99.
Visit News Source webpage Abb Takk