India Women lost the final of ICC Women’s World Cup, 2017 by nine runs to England Women in a nail-biting finish at Lord’s. Jhulan Goswami (10-3-23-3) and Poonam Yadav (2/36) had helped restrict England to 228 for seven. The senior pacer had ended the blossoming partnership between Sarah Taylor and Natalie Sciver.
Punam Raut then guided the Indian chase with a 115-ball 86 while Harmanpreet Kaur chipped in with 51 to keep the innings on course. But a batting collapse after the opener’s departure saw India being bowled out for 219 runs. From being comfortably placed on 191 for four in the 43rd over, they were bowled out with eight balls remaining. Anya Shrubsole claimed six wickets as England held their nerve to pull-off a thrilling win.
After Heather Knight elected to bat, Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont looked in good nick as they stitched a 47-run opening stand. With Shikha Pandey being attacked for runs, Mithali replaced her with her inform spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Although the left-arm spinner conceded three boundaries in her first over, she followed it up with a maiden. And in her next, Winfield looking to sweep, was bowled.
After 13 runs, Yadav accounted for Beaumont in her first over. The opener departed holing out to deep mid-wicket. The leg-spinner trapped Knight lbw to push the hosts on the back-foot in her next. The successful use of DRS by India left England wobbling at 63 for three.
Sciver then joined Taylor in rebuilding the England innings. Picking ones and twos, the pair revived the innings and ensured the side a respectable total on the slow wicket. Their blossoming partnership threatened to tip the balance in England’s favour until Goswami struck to end it for 83 runs. Taylor nicked the ball going down leg side and Sushma Verma took a low catch. Goswami then yorked Wilson off the next ball to leave England on 146 for five. Although she missed out on a hat-trick, Goswami’s double strike put India in an advantageous position.
Goswami, who had kept the batters on their toes, trapped Sciver lbw a bit later and England were further pegged back at 164 for six.
Katherine Brunt and Jenny Gunn then worked to garner runs off the Indian attack and ran hard between the wickets to take the side to 196 until Deepti Sharma’s direct hit from mid-off ran out the former. Laura Marsh and Gunn helped pick 32 runs off the last four overs to help set India a 229-run target.
Once again India lost Smriti Mandhana early in the innings. After Shrubsole bowled the opener for naught, Mithali joined Raut in shaping the chase. However, after adding 17 runs to the total, the skipper was run out.
With the team on 43 for two, Harmanpreet took guard to carry the innings further. With the run rate not being a concern, the all-rounder bided her time at the crease as she built a partnership with Raut.
Although their running between the wickets was hesitant, the duo took their chances as they ran hard to maintain a steady pace. As the inched forward, Harmanpreet swung Alex Hartley out of the ground for six and a bit later dismissed the spinner over deep square-leg for another.
As they seized the momentum, Raut was the first to reach her fifty; her tenth in ODI’s with a single off Shrubsole. Harmanpreet too reached her half-century as India looked to close in on the target. But she departed sweeping Hartley thus ending the stand for 95 soon after.
With India on 138 for three, Veda Krishnamurthy joined Raut in gleaning runs off England. The batters added 53 runs until was adjudged lbw off Shrubsole. In the next over, Sushma Verma was castled by Hartley leaving India on 196 for five. In the following over, Shrubsole dealt a double blow to keep the match precariously poised. While Krishnamurthy departed taking the aerial route, Goswami was bowled by the pacer a ball later.
With 28 runs required, Pandey joined Deepti in the middle. With a boundary through mid-off off Hartley the youngster kept India in the chase. As they took the singles to inch closer to the target, Pandey was run out by Shrubsole with 11 runs required to win. Off the first ball of the penultimate over, Deepti departed taking the aerial to Shrubsole. Two balls later, the pacer bowled Gayakwad to wrap-up the Indian innings.
Player of the Match: Anya Shrubsole for her six-wicket haul
Player of the Tournament: Tammy Beaumont, who finished as the highest run-getter with 410 runs
