There was rain prediction and a yellow alert declared for this region on Thursday, but as things turned out, the yellow colour-bearing Australian team failed to be on alert as Mumbai girl Jemimah Rodrigues dumped them out of the World Cup after a thrilling 339-run world record chase at the DY Patil Stadium.
Batting first, Phoebe Litchfield scored an attacking 119 in the semi-final as the visitors posted 338 all out in 49.5 overs.
In reply, Rodrigues (127 not out, 14×4) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89, 10×4, 2×6) put on a brilliant show with their willows as the hosts achieved the target in 48.3 overs with five wickets to spare, leaving the defending champions and seven-time World Cup winners shell-shocked.
India’s Jemimah Rodrigues during her unbeaten 127 against Australia
In reply to Australia’s massive total, India lost opener Shafali Verma (10) in the second over when pacer Kim Garth (2-46) trapped her LBW. The in-form Smriti Mandhana (24, 2×4, 1×6) began with the right intent, welcoming Garth in her third over with a huge six straight back over her head. However, it was Garth who dismissed Mandhana, edging one down the leg side to wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy.
Rodrigues though stood tall. She used her feet well, executed some good drives, paddle sweeps and brilliant cut shots as she shaped India’s run chase alongside skipper Harmanpreet. Rodrigues reached her 50 in 57 deliveries and then got to her third ODI century in 115 balls. The unbeaten 127 is the Mumbai girl’s highest score in 58 ODIs. At the other end, Harmanpreet, a veteran of 160 ODIs, took her time to settle down, reaching her half-century in 65 balls. In this era of T20 cricket, Rodrigues and Harmanpreet put on a patient batting display and even had luck on their side a few times.
Healy dropped Rodrigues on 82 off King when the batter was trying a slog sweep. Rodrigues got a second life when she was on 106 — McGrath dropping her at mid-off. Annabel Sutherland eventually broke the vital 167-run second wicket stand between Rodrigues and Harmanpreet when Ashleigh Gardner took a good diving catch at deep midwicket to send back the Indian captain. Deepti Sharma then came in and scored 24 after which Richa Ghosh used her long handle, hammering two sixes and two fours for her 26 before she departed. Thereafter, Amanjot Kaur (15 not out) ensured she did not leave Rodrigues’s side till the end. When the winning runs were scored, an emotional Rodrigues slumped to the ground while a tear-eyed Harmanpreet sprinted onto the pitch from the dugout to hug her star performer.
Brief scores
Australia 338 all out in 49.5 overs (P Litchfield 119, E Perry 77, A Gardner 63; S Charani 2-49, D Sharma 2-73) lost to India 341-5 in 48.3 overs (J Rodrigues 127*, H Kaur 89; K Garth 2-46, A Sutherland 2-69) by five wickets