Finance
India’s quest for a first world title in women’s cricket came to an end on Sunday when they defeated England by seven wickets in a low-scoring finale at the JB Marks Oval to win the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Nearly 18 years after India first reached the World Cup final through the 50-over event in 2005, Shafali Verma & Co produced a superb bowling performance combined with some outstanding fielding to bowl out England for 68.
Fast bowler Titas Sadhu, off-spinner Archana Devi, and leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra were all accurate with their line and length, picking up two wickets each. Shafali, Mannat Kashyap, and Sonam Yadav took a scalp each in a dominating bowling performance.
Despite a few hiccups, the fielding was athletic, with some outstanding catches taken as England struggled with the bat. India lost Shafali and Shweta Sehrawat in the first four overs of chasing 69 on a slow pitch that aided spinners.
But Soumya Tiwari (24 not out) and Gongadi Trisha (24) shared a crucial 46-run third-wicket stand to complete the chase in 14 overs and give India their first World Cup title in women’s cricket.
Titas broke the game open on the fourth pitch of the inning, getting Liberty Heap to mistime her heave and giving her a simple return catch. Aside from Titas and Archana keeping things tight, India also excelled at ground fielding.
Niamh Holland crossed the field in an attempt to scoop Archana. Instead, the bowler found turn and bounce outside off, causing the ball to collide with the stumps. Archana provided some width and flight on the final ball of the over, enticing captain Grace Scrivens to dance down the pitch and loft over long-off.
The left-handed batter fell into the trap and was caught by Trisha, who ran in from long-off and made the diving catch. If keeper Richa Ghosh hadn’t dropped a regulation catch of Ryana Macdonald Gay on nought off Titas in the fifth over, India could have taken their fourth wicket in the Power-play.
Niamh Holland crossed the field in an attempt to scoop Archana. Instead, the bowler found turn and bounce outside off, causing the ball to collide with the stumps. Archana provided some width and flight on the final ball of the over, enticing captain Grace Scrivens to dance down the pitch and loft over long-off.
The left-handed batter fell into the trap and was caught by Trisha, who ran in from long-off and made the diving catch. If keeper Richa Ghosh hadn’t dropped a regulation catch of Ryana Macdonald Gay on nought off Titas in the fifth over, India could have taken their fourth wicket in the Power-play.
But, in the seventh over, the right-arm fast-bowler responded by casting Seren Smale with an inswinger. Ryana began to hit boundaries against spinners by dancing down the pitch to loft twice while using her crease to hit a delicate late cut, while all England batters perished after struggling.
But England’s slide continued as Parshavi trapped Charis Pavely lbw on the stroke of the halfway drinks break. Parshavi struck again in the 12th over as Ryana attempted to loft over off-side, but Archana dived full length in the air to take a one-handed stunner.
Soumya produced a sharp direct hit from cover two overs later to run out Josie Groves at the non-end. striker’s Shafali was added to the list of wicket-takers in the 15th over by enticing Hannah Baker to reach out to a delivery outside off-stump and was stumped quickly by Richa.
Alexa Stonehouse’s 25-ball stay at the crease came to an end when she chipped straight to cover off Mannat in the 17th over. Sonam took a return catch off Sophia Smale’s tame chip to end England’s innings on the first ball of the 18th over.
In the replay, Shafali, who turned 19 on Saturday, started the chase by flicking Hannah’s down-leg delivery through fine leg for four, before lofting Sophia over long-off for a massive six in the next over. Shafali mistimed the chip and gave a low catch to mid-on in an attempt to go big off Hannah in the third over.
In the fourth over, Shweta scored her first four runs by driving on an overpitched delivery from Grace Scrivens. However, on the very next ball, she tried to work through the on-side, but the turn in from Grace took the top edge to short fine leg, departing for five.
With the run-chase tense, Soumya relieved it in the fifth over with a well-timed lofted drive over extra cover off Hannah. Grace dropped a sharp chance at slip on the very next ball, giving her a reprieve.
England was limiting India’s runs with tight bowling and sharp fielding. But singles from Soumya and Trisha kept the scoreboard ticking. In the eighth over, Soumya got a boundary off Sophia by flicking past the keeper, and replays showed Grace’s elbow was in contact with the rope while pushing the ball away.
Soumya was quick to cut through point for a boundary when Josie dropped short and wide in the next over. Trisha, on the other hand, was classy in pulling Ellie Anderson on the front foot and back foot through square leg for back-to-back boundaries in the 12th over.
In the 13th over, she creamed Alexa Stonehouse with a delightful drive-through extra cover. In an attempt to win, Trisha stepped out for a cross-bat swipe and was castled by Alexa. Soumya finished the chase with a brace and then took a single through point to give India their first global trophy in women’s cricket and a day to remember for the entire country.
Brief scores: England 68 all out in 17.1 overs (Ryana Macdonald-Gay 19, Titas Sadhu 2-6, Parshavi Chopra 2-13) lost to India 69/3 in 14 overs (Soumya Tiwari 24 not out, Gongadi Trisha 24; Hannah Baker 1-13, Grace Scrivens 1-13) by seven wickets
