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What happened the last time India played in the final of the Women's World Cup
India are into their third Women's World Cup final, and their first since the tragic ending to the 2017 tournament saw victory slip from their fingertips.
For the third time in team history, India are into the final of the Women’s ODI World Cup. As was the case in 2017, this follows from a historic win in the semifinal over Australia, but this time it is India who are the hosts. DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai presents a chance for the women in blue to help their country win ICC silverware for the first time in women’s cricket.
It hasn’t been too long at all since that 2017 World Cup, with this being only the second edition since that fateful final, which means the scars from that loss are still very fresh. At the same time, only three members of that playing XI at Lord’s remain in the picture for India in Navi Mumbai. For them, a shot at redemption; for the younger players in the team, a chance to rewrite history.
Having beaten Australia on the back of Harmanpreet Kaur’s famous 171 in Derby, India were set to play hosts England in the 2017 final. England were captained by Heather Knight, who won the toss against Mithali Raj and opted to bat first at Lord’s.
India establish control with good bowling and strong start to chase
After a 47-run opening partnership, it was India who established control: three quick wickets in the space of 5 overs put them in the driver’s seat. Nat Sciver would be the only half-centurion of the innings, but would have solid support from Sarah Taylor, Katherine Brunt, and Jenny Gunn. Jhulan Goswami was India’s star with the ball as she often was, taking 3 wickets.
It was enough to restrict England to 228/7, and India were suddenly favourites to chase this down. The response began poorly, as a young Smriti Mandhana was dismissed on a duck. Mithali Raj was run-out soon after, but Punam Raut settled things down alongside Harmanpreet Kaur with a 95-run partnership.
When Kaur was dismissed on 51, India still had 7 wickets in hand and needed 91 runs from 16 overs, and things would only look better when Veda Krishnamurthy came in and score a fluent 35 to bring the equation down to 38 needed off 44 with wickets in hand in the 43rd over.
Anya Shrubsole haunts India with 6-fer
However, that was the over in which everything changed for India. Anya Shrubsole removed the set Raut on 86, who had stitched the innings together, and everything began to fall apart for the Indian team from a position of dominance. The next over would see another wicket fall, putting the pressure on India, and Shrubsole would make it count with two wickets in the same over when she returned for the 45th – and suddenly, out of nowhere, England were in control.
Shrubsole would take her 5th wicket as she dismissed Deepti Sharma, and would then knock over the tenth and final wicket of the innings to leave India agonisingly short by 9 runs, finishing with figures of 6/46.
From a position of control to a monumental collapse with their fingertips on the Women’s World Cup trophy, there is no use pretending India’s last outing in a final doesn’t hold substantial scars. But on Sunday evening, Harmanpreet Kaur and her troops will have a shot at redemption.
