- India beat Ireland by 52 runs to enter the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World T20.
- Mithali Raj top scored for India with 51 runs.
- Radha Yadav was the pick of the bowlers for India with figures of 3/25.
India’s spinners produced yet another controlled performance to clinch a semi-final berth at the ICC Women’s World T20 with a comfortable 52-run victory against Ireland in their Group B clash at Guyana on Thursday, 15 November.
After managing 145 for 6 on a slow track, the Indian spinners maintained a tight leash on the Irish women to restrict them to 93 for 8 in 20 overs.
With their third win, India with six points were assured of a last-four spot along with Australia (6 points from 3 games).
While India's batting performance left a lot to be desired, the spinners Radha Yadav (3/25 in 4 overs), Deepti Sharma (2/15 in 3 overs), Poonam Yadav (1/14 in 4 overs) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (1/10 in 4 overs) were economical and picked up wickets at regular intervals.
India's strategy of packing the off-side cordon and bowling wide of the stumps paid off as Ireland were never in the chase, conceding as many as 65 dot balls (nearly 11 overs).
Once Deepti got rid of Gaby Lewis (9) with a classical off-break and Poonam's loopy leg-break saw the end of Clare Shillington (23), stumped by Taniya Bhatia, Ireland had no chance whatsoever.
Earlier, riding on a painstaking half-century from former skipper Mithali Raj, India managed only 145 for six after being put into bat.
The veteran Mithali (51 off 56 balls) added 67 runs in 10 overs with Smriti Mandhana (33, 29 balls) but the innings never gained the required momentum on a track that remained a bit damp due to overnight showers.
The decision to bring in Jemimah Rodrigues at Number 3, didn't quite work out well as Mithali never got going despite hitting four boundaries and a six.
Having effectively scored 22 off five deliveries, Mithali scored another 29 off the remaining 51 balls she faced. Her failure to rotate the strike affected the momentum once Mandhana was bowled by medium pacer Kim Garth, trying a wild slog.
Young Rodrigues hit three fours in her 11-ball 18, but was stumped off Laura Delany's wide delivery when she tried to give charge.
Skipper Harmanpreet hit a six but was soon dismissed. As wickets fell at one end, Mithali couldn't shift gears at the other. She was finally out in the 19th over, deceived by a slower delivery from Garth, but India's chances of putting up a substantial total had gone up in smoke by then.
(With inputs from PTI)
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