Jemimah Rodrigues hit a breathtaking unbeaten 127 to propel India into the Women’s Cricket World Cup final with a five-wicket win over defending champions Australia.
Chasing a record 339 for victory, Rodrigues brought up her maiden World Cup century off 115 balls and staged a stunning fightback alongside her captain Harmanpreet Kaur (89) as they posted 341-5 in 48.3 overs to end Australia’s World Cup winning streak.
Rodrigues was dropped twice throughout the chase but managed to keep her cool until the very end and when India needed two runs off 10 balls as her batting partner Amanjot Kaur (15no) drove Sophie Molineux (0-44) through the covers for a boundary to seal the win.
Earlier, Phoebe Litchfield (119 off 93 balls) became the youngest player to score a century at a World Cup as the 22-year-old helped the defending champions to 338 all out in 49.5 overs after electing to bat.
Ellyse Perry (77) and Ash Gardner (63) also made contributions, but India managed to fight back towards the end, taking three wickets in the final over thanks to Deepti Sharma (2-73).
India will now face South Africa, who beat England by 125 runs in the other semi-final, in the Women’s Cricket World Cup final in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Cricket, as they aim to win their first-ever title.
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Australian captain Alyssa Healy dropped a chance to dismiss Jemimah Rodrigues in a pivotal moment in the Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final
India stage stunning fightback against title holders Australia
India made a wobbly start to their chase losing two wickets inside the powerplay as Australia asserted their dominance and took control.
Kim Garth (2-46) trapped Shafali Verma (10) leg-before in the second over, and despite a review, the India opener had to depart after facing just five balls.
The Australian pacer struck again in the 10th over and had Smriti Mandhana (24) nicking behind to Alyssa Healy, leaving the co-hosts 59-2 after 10 overs.
That brought Harmanpreet Kaur (89) and Rodrigues (127no) to the middle and they shared a 167-run partnership to put India in firm control.
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Ashleigh Gardner takes a tremendous catch to dismiss Harmanpreet Kaur and break her strong partnership with Jemimah Rodrigues in the Women’s World Cup semi-final
Australia were evidently feeling the pressure as mistakes began to creep into their fielding and bowling. The most costly ones were when Healy and Tahlia McGrath dropped Rodrigues on 83 and 106, respectively.
Gardner took a stunning catch running 90 metres in from the deep midwicket fence to dismiss Harmanpreet off Annabel Sutherland (2-69).
Deepti Sharma (24) gifted her wicket away and was run out by Garth in the 41st over to leave India 264-4 with nine overs remaining.
Sutherland struck again to see Richa Ghosh (26) caught at backward point to keep Australia in with a chance.
However, they struggled to find answers against Rodrigues as the 25-year-old continued to find the gaps and hit boundaries for India.
With India needing just two runs, Amanjot found the boundary rope once again to complete victory over Australia, who, coming into the tournament, were the favourites and seemingly invincible.
It completed a record run chase in Women’s ODIs, surpassing the 331 Australia had reached against India in the group stage match in Visakhapatnam only 18 days ago.
Litchfield’s record ton in vain as Australia defeated
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Alyssa Healy falls to an early wicket as Kranti Goud delivers the perfect ball to dismiss her
India removed Australia captain Healy (5) early doors after she chopped on to her stumps off Kranti Gaud (1-58) in the sixth over.
The next wicket didn’t come until the 28th over as Litchfield and Perry put on a 155-run partnership with the former hitting 17 boundaries and three sixes in her innings before she was bowled by Amanjot (1-51).
Beth Mooney made a modest 24 but was caught in the covers after chipping Sree Charani (2-49) to Rodrigues.
Charani struck again in her following over and completed a caught and bowled chance to dismiss Sutherland (3) cheaply.
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Phoebe Litchfield set a new century record in World Cup knockout matches in Australia’s World Cup semi-final against India
Perry departed after her 88-ball cameo when she was bowled by Radha Yadav (1-66) to leave Australia 243-5.
India continued to wrestle back momentum with Ghosh and Rodrigues combining to run out McGrath (12).
Gardner propelled Australia past 330 but had an anti-climactic end to her innings when she was run out by Gaud.
Sharma then removed Alana King (4) and Sophie Molineux (0) in consecutive balls in the final over and then struck with the penultimate ball to have Kim Garth (17) run out, bowling Australia out for 338 with one ball to spare.
Emotional Rodrigues: ‘It feels like a dream’
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Jemimah Rodrigues shares her reaction as helps India reach the ICC Women’s World Cup final with scoring 127 runs against Australia.
Player of the Match, Jemimah Rodrigues (127no from 134 balls):
“I want to thank my mum, my dad, my coach and every single person who believed in me through all this time.
“The last 12 months have been hard and it feels like a dream. It hasn’t sunk in yet.
“I didn’t know I was batting at No 3. I was told five minutes before. It was not for me to prove a point, it was for me to win this match for India.
“We have always lost in crunch situations and I wanted to take us through. Today was not about my hundred.”
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Will this young girl inspire India to victory over Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-final, as she delivered a team talk before the match?
Healy gives frank appraisal after defeat
Australia captain Alyssa Healy:
“We probably did that to ourselves a little bit – it’s probably the first time I have felt that.
“We didn’t finish off with the bat, didn’t bowl that great and dropped all our chances in the field. We still hung in to the final over.
“We we outdone in the end and India held their nerve.
“I thought we were well in the game if we could execute our chances on that wicket but we weren’t able to capitalise.”
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Australia captain Alyssa Healy gives her reaction to losing to India in the ICC Women’s World Cup semi-final.
‘Proud’ Harmanpreet: ‘It feels amazing’
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur:
“I am so proud. I don’t have the words to express myself. We have been working so hard for many years and it feels amazing.
“Any player can win any match in any situation. We made mistakes in the tournament but we have learnt from our mistakes.”
What’s next?
The Women’s Cricket World Cup final takes place on Sunday, with South Africa facing India in Navi Mumbai (live on Sky Sports Cricket from 9am, first ball at 9.30am). Stream cricket, football, golf and more contract-free with NOW.
