Australia's hopes of securing another Women's Cricket World Cup title were dashed in a thrilling semi-final encounter against India, with costly errors in both batting and fielding proving decisive. Despite setting a competitive target of 339, the Aussies rued missed opportunities that ultimately paved the way for an Indian victory.
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first in overcast conditions in Navi Mumbai. While the top order contributed significantly, a late-innings stutter prevented them from maximizing their score. According to Alyssa Healy, they were in a good position, but didn't quite finish things off with the bat.
The Indian chase was characterized by aggressive intent and calculated risks. However, the Australian bowlers initially kept things tight, creating chances that weren't always capitalized on in the field. Several dropped catches and misfields allowed the Indian batters to gain momentum and build crucial partnerships. Tahlia McGrath dropped Jemimah Rodrigues, giving Rodrigues a reprieve. Alyssa Healy acknowledged that fielding is something Australia prides themselves on, and while their ground fielding was up to standard, they let slip a couple of crucial chances that proved costly.
India's fielding was also poor in the match, dropping catches and missing a stumping. They gave away runs through overthrows and made numerous outfield errors. India dropped 18 catches in the tournament, the most of any team, with a catching efficiency of just 66%, the second-worst. They also missed the most stumpings, misfielded the most, and gave away the most overthrows in the Women's ODI World Cup.
Phoebe Litchfield's outstanding innings was a major positive for Australia, but it wasn't enough to compensate for the team's overall performance in the field. Healy stated that Litchfield was sensational. Ultimately, India held their nerves and completed the highest successful run chase in Women's ODI history to reach their third ODI World Cup final.
The absence of Pratika Rawal, who injured her ankle in a previous match, was a blow to India. Shafali Verma replaced Rawal in the squad.
Australia will reflect on this painful defeat, recognizing that a sharper performance in the field could have altered the outcome. India will now face South Africa in the final.
