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England won a last-over thriller against India at Indore on Sunday to seal their place in the World Cup semi-finals, holding two crucial catches at the death to defend 288 and win by just four runs. Earlier Heather Knight’s third ODI century in her 300th international set up the exciting finale.
India were left needing 27 off 18 but, defying England’s recent reputation of falling to pieces under pressure, Linsey Smith conceded just four runs from the 48th over and then defended 14 off the last to ensure England came out on top.
Smith had earlier taken the crucial wicket of Smriti Mandhana, whose 88 from 94 balls looked to be taking India to a straightforward win until, hobbling with cramp caused by the sweltering humidity, the Indian vice-captain sent a catch into the hands of long-off with 55 runs still needed.
Still, with six wickets in hand, the match was India’s to lose, and their clutch all-rounder Deepti Sharma hit just enough boundaries to keep them in touch, bringing up her half-century in the 46th over. But Richa Ghosh holed out to Knight at cover the very next ball, before Deepti herself slog-swept into the hands of Sophia Dunkley at deep midwicket in the next over, leaving too much for Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana to do.
Tournament hosts India are now fighting it out with New Zealand for the fourth semi-final spot, and will need to beat the Kiwis on Thursday – plus avoid defeat in their final match against Bangladesh – to be sure of qualification.
“I can’t quite comprehend what’s just happened,” Smith told Sky Sports. “The fight that we showed at the end there was amazing. For me, it was trying not to overcomplicate it too much. I’ve been practising that death plan all week, trying to bowl a tight line into their heels.”
With both teams still pushing for a place in the semi-finals, this was the tournament’s most crunch match so far, and the capacity Indore crowd were treated to a nailbiter – albeit not the result they had been hoping for.
Knight’scentury enabled England to post 288 after choosing to bat first. “I was desperate to put in a statement performance on a big-cap occasion and I’m really pleased that I did that,” Knight told Sky Sports.
It was a formidable total that would have required India to pull off a record run-chase – but nonetheless there was a feeling that England had undershot on a very good batting track. Knight’s run-out in the 45th over, wrongly chancing the arm of Amanjot Kaur at deep square leg, proved to be the catalyst for a very on-brand collapse: England lost five wickets for 31 runs and what should have been a 300+ total crashed and burned. The head coach, Charlotte Edwards, who had chosen to keep the faith with her established lineup despite unconvincing showings against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, might well have raised an eyebrow in the dugout.
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Deepti finished with a return of four for 51, seeing off both Alice Capsey and Emma Lamb in successive overs at the death. The Capsey dismissal was a smart piece of cricket to a poor piece of decision-making: Deepti spotted the batter’s pre-meditated reverse, adjusted her line, and tangled her up so much that the ball ended up in the hands of cover.
Earlier, India’s swing-queen Renuka Singh Thakur – brought back into the XI for this match due to England’s recent struggles against new-ball movement – had been unlucky to finish wicketless after a hooping five-over opening spell. Instead, it was Deepti who broke England’s 73-run opening partnership in her first over of the day, bowling Tammy Beaumont round her legs. But England’s tormentor with the ball could not quite finish the job with the bat.
“I’m so, so happy,” a relieved Nat Sciver-Brunt told Sky Sports. “We haven’t really been tested towards the end of our innings with the ball. Everyone showed how calm they were and were really clear in what they wanted to do.”
Meanwhile her opposite number, Harmanpreet Kaur, will be as much under pressure as ever, despite her own run-a-ball 70 in Indore. India once again failed to use the DRS system effectively: twice in the England innings they reviewed on-field decisions which replays showed were drifting down leg, taking their tally of unsuccessful reviews up to eight. It might not have cost them the match against England but if the trend continues it could yet cost them a place in the semi-finals.
