India succumbed to a 9-run defeat to Australia in a must-win group A clash of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024. The result has put serious doubts over their participation in the knock stage of the tournament.
India were given a target of 153 runs after Australia batted first and set the template of the match. In response, India looked in control in the second innings but eventually could not keep up with the required run-rate im the middle over. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored two half-centuries in two innings but did not look at her best in terms of strike rate and left herself too much to do for herself in the final few overs.
READ HERE | Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Harmanpreet Kaur Reflects On India's Defeat To Australia Women
What was baffling was the fact that Harmanpreet remained unbeaten till the end yet could not help her team to a win. She eventually had 54* off 47 to her name but a strike rate of 114.89 was not enough for the team to end up on the winning side. Soon after India's defeat, questions were raised over her decision-making in the last over over of the match, with India needing 14 runs to win off the last 6 balls- an achievable target.
What was surprising to see was that Harmanpreet Kaur took a single off the first ball itself which meant Annabel Sutherland could dismiss Pooja Vastrakar off the very next delivery. Later in the over, when India needed 13 runs to win off 3 balls, Harmanpreet yet again got off strike, taking a single instead of trying to smash sixes and force the game into a super over.
India will now hope that Pakistan does them a favour by beating New Zealand by a big margin. That remains the only way Indai can proceed to the business end of the tournament from Group A. India had lost to New Zealand in their opening game of the tournament.