Australia claimed the first Commonwealth Games gold medal in women’s Cricket after a tense nine-run win over India at Edgbaston. Let us look into IND Vs AUS commonwealth games final match highlights.
Australia, the current owners of both the Ashes and the limited-overs World Cups, maintained their dominance in women’s cricket by scripting history after winning all their matches in marquee event to become the first-ever women’s cricket team to secure gold at commonwealth games.
Beth Mooney helped Australia to post 161 for 8 in 20 overs with her brilliant 61 off 41. In reply, Harmanpreet Kaur’s spectacular 65 gave India hope, but her removal flickered a collapse and India were all out for 152.
IND Vs AUS commonwealth games final match highlights:
India was enthusiastically supported by a nearly full crowd in this repeat of the 2020 T20 World Cup final and the tournament’s opening match, both of which Australia won.
Beth Mooney led Australia in scoring a good total on board with a magnificent 61 from 41 balls, but she was out after Deepti Sharma’s spectacular one-handed catch, becoming one of five wickets to fall in the final five overs for only 36 more runs as the gold medal favourites were pushed back.
Chasing a target of 162 in a high-voltage game, India lost both their openers early and slipped to 22 for two but skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues steadied India’s ship by adding 96 before Rodrigues was dismissed for 33 after missing a swipe at Megan Schutt.
In the next over, Harmanpreet walked back to pavilion after playing a crucial knock of 65 off 43 deliveries after attempting scoop that deflected off her helmet and into wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy’s gloves.
It was the off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner, who dented India’s chances of winning gold by conceding just 16 runs from her three overs and took 3 wickets, including Indian skipper’s Harmanpreet.
India, who had overcome Australia in six of their previous 24 T20 matches, required 11 runs off the final over, but Meghna Singh was unnecessarily run out while trying to make a second run.
The women in blue in required 10 off the last 4 with one wicket in hand but Jess Jonassen trapped Yastika Bhatia and dismissed her with a big shout for lbw, while Bhatia failed to overturn a review as Australian side started to celebrate.
