The Indian women's cricket team faced a heartbreaking defeat against defending champions Australia in their final group stage match of the T20 World Cup. Despite a valiant effort, they fell short by just 9 runs, leaving their semi-final hopes hanging in the balance.
Australia, opting to bat first, set a challenging target of 152 runs. Opener Grace Harris led the charge with a powerful knock of 40 runs, while Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry provided crucial support with 32 runs each. India's bowlers with Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma each claiming two wickets. Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, and Shreyanka Patil also chipped in with a wicket apiece.
India's chase got off to a shaky start, losing early wickets. However, captain Harmanpreet Kaur stepped up with a determined innings, scoring a valiant 54 runs and keeping India in the game. Despite her efforts, wickets continued to tumble at the other end. Deepti Sharma contributed a valuable 29 runs, and young Shafali Verma added 20, but it wasn't enough to overcome the target.
The loss means India finish their Group A campaign with two wins and two losses. Australia, with an unbeaten record, secured their spot in the semi-finals. India's fate now rests on the outcome of the match between New Zealand and Pakistan. A win for New Zealand would see them progress, while a Pakistan victory would open the door for India to advance based on net run rate.
