Perry, Gardner knock India out as Australia complete clinical chase

A rollercoaster at a packed Lord's culminated in heartbreak for Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. as Australia chased down 171 to sign India's painful group-stage exit for the second consecutive T20 World Cup. Despite skipper Harmanpreet's fine finishing act – the fastest T20 World Cup fifty for India – the bowlers couldn't sustain the pressure even after controlling the first-half of Australia's reply. A chanceless century partnership between Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner ensured Australia completed a clinical chase with an over to spare.

After a watchful start to the Powerplay, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana upped the ante to stitch a 66-run opening partnership, keeping Australia wicketless in the first six. This marked India's highest opening stand against Australia in Women's T20 World Cup history. Verma feasted on offspinner Gardner, hammering two sixes and two boundaries in her first two overs. However, her matchup struggles against left-armer Sophie Molineux resurfaced when the Australian skipper cleaned her up for a 26-ball 34.

Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues attempted to rebuild, but a communication breakdown resulted in the vice-captain being run out on 38. Rodrigues struggled to break free, operating at nearly a run-a-ball. She eventually retired out on 34 off 28 balls.

Before walking off at the start of the final over, Rodrigues put on a crucial 68-run stand with Harmanpreet, where the captain did the bulk of the scoring. Harmanpreet showed intent from the get-go, finding the odd boundary before completely turning on the heat at the death. She hammered 23 runs off just six balls as India plundered 36 runs in the final overs. That included three sixes off Molineux. In the process, Harmanpreet brought up a spectacular half-century, registering the fastest fifty for India in Women's T20 World Cup history.

Georgia Voll got the chase underway with a first-ball boundary off Renuka Thakur, but the pacer struck back immediately. Excellent use of DRS confirmed a sharp nip-backer would hit the top of leg stump, trapping Voll lbw. After a watchful start, Phoebe Litchfield found her groove with back-to-back boundaries off Kranti Gaud. Beth Mooney then hit Thakur for a couple of boundaries, while Litchfield went downtown for a maximum off Verma. Australia recovered from the early setback to finish the powerplay at 49/1.

Shree Charani, the tournament's leading wicket-taker, broke the threatening partnership in her first over, getting Litchfield caught at long-off. Deepti Sharma then removed a well-set Mooney in quick succession, becoming the highest wicket-taker in women's cricket history.

Just as India seemed to be seizing control, Australia clawed their way back via an expensive 17-run over from Radha Yadav. Gardner smashed a four and a six to break the shackles, Perry collected a boundary too, and Australia never looked back.

India's spinners, economical until then, began to leak runs. Charani conceded 11 in the 16th over, and Verma gave away 12 in her final over. Thakur's final over proved to be the nail in the coffin, leaking 17 runs as Perry and Gardner hammered two boundaries and a six. Perry brought up a brilliant half-century off 33 balls, before Gardner joined her with a 28-ball milestone. Perry became Charani's 14th victim in the tournament, but Australia completed the formalities with an over to spare.

Brief scores: India 170/4 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 56, Smriti Mandhana 38; Sophie Molineux 2-46) lost to Australia 172/4 in 19 overs (Ellyse Perry 56, Ash Gardner 53*; Shree Charani 2-32) by 6 wickets