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India pulled off a dramatic record run-chase to knock reigning champions Australia out of the World Cup, led by an outstanding century from Jemimah Rodrigues.
Rodrigues was dropped three times by Australia, on 50, 83 and 106, eventually finishing unbeaten on 127 as the seven-time world champions uncharacteristically cracked under the pressure of defending 338. Running back from mid-off, Tahlia McGrath had leaked the catch proffered by Rodrigues in the 44th over, while Annabel Sutherland sent down two wides in a wayward 48th over which cost Australia 15 runs. It was left to Amanjot Kaur to reap the rewards of Rodrigues’ staying power, striking the winning runs from Sophie Molineux’s 49th over with nine balls to spare.
The historic run chase – the highest ever achieved in women’s ODI cricket – had hung in the balance after Harmanpreet Kaur miscued a pull to midwicket in the 36th over, out for a run-a-ball 89 with 105 runs still needed.
Deepti Sharma was then run out after attempting a quick single, while Richa Ghosh smashed two sixes but sent up a catch to short third with the equation down to 26 off 16.
Rodrigues, though, remained unbeaten to the end, as India waltzed into a home World Cup final with a five-wicket win, delighting the 35,000-strong Mumbai crowd. They face South Africa at the same ground on Sunday.
India were clear underdogs going into this game, having limped through the group stages with losses to these same opponents as well as South Africa and England. That status was only underlined when Phoebe Litchfield scored a 77-ball century – the quickest ever in a World Cup knockout match – and India lost both of their openers in the powerplay, in dismissals which epitomised the two teams’ differing success with use of DRS this World Cup.
Shafali Verma, catapaulted into the XI after being approved as an injury replacement just three days ago, lasted five balls before being rapped plumb in front by Kim Garth - but opted to burn through a review anyway.
Australia then successfully overturned a not-out caught-behind decision against Smriti Mandhana, after replays showed the tiniest of spikes on UltraEdge. Smriti shook her head in disbelief before walking off for 24.
Earlier, Australia’s total of 338 had centred around a maiden World Cup hundred from the 22-year-old Litchfield, a quiet half-century from Ellyse Perry, and a much noisier one from Ash Gardner.
Litchfield’s knock was built on her trademark reverse-sweep, although there was a nervous moment when she tried the shot on 62 and was given out on-field after the ball ended up in the hands of backward square leg. Litchfield, though, sent the decision upstairs and was reprieved when replays showed it had been a bump ball.
That allowed her to progress to her century eight overs later - but she was bowled trying to ramp Amanjot Kaur in the 28th over, and India then fought back in the middle overs to take four Australian wickets for 45 runs. Perry, who had looked set to join Litchfield in the centurion club after scoring her first half-century of the tournament, joined in with the collapse, bowled by a Radha Yadav ball which skidded onto her stumps.
Gardner muscled four sixes and brought up a 41-ball fifty to ensure Australia added 38 runs from the final four overs - but a muddle with Garth saw her run out in the 49th, while Deepti Sharma took two wickets with successive deliveries in the 50th over to see Australia bowled out off the penultimate ball of the innings: a limp finish which eventually came back to haunt them.
