Smriti rocks, Rana rolls India into final

PTI

Birmingham, August 6

All-rounder Sneh Rana showed nerves of steel in the death overs as the Indian women's cricket team pipped hosts England by four runs to enter the final at the Commonwealth Games today.

Needing 165 to win, England were cruising along at 132/3, requiring only 33 runs off 24 balls, but off-spinner Rana (2/28) bowled economically in the death overs, giving away only three runs in the 18th over and nine in the final over.

England finished at 160/6 and even a last-ball six by Sophie Ecclestone couldn't save the day for the hosts – the Indians had already celebrated before that ball as England needed 11 off the final ball.

Rana was well supported by Deepti Sharma (1/18) and Pooja Vastrakar (0/20), who didn't err in line or length under pressure. Earlier, Smriti Mandhana's 61 and Jemimah Rodrigues' unbeaten 44 powered India to 164/5.

Smriti shows the way

Mandhana's 32-ball knock in the Powerplay laid the platform, while Rodrigues improvised well during her 31-ball innings. Mandhana also recorded the fastest T20 International fifty in women's cricket off only 23 balls. While Mandhana hit eight fours and three sixes, Rodrigues had seven fours to her credit. Deepti chipped in with 22 off 20 balls. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 20 off 20 balls. After scoring 64 runs in the first six overs, India managed a relatively paltry 100 runs in the next 14 overs.

“I was trying to remember the last-ball matches and hoped we would get over the line,” Mandhana said. "In matches like this, roles have to be changed. Deepti's overs in the middle were important. Rana was amazing bowling with only three fielders in the deep. That will be remembered for a long time."

“I was batting well in the last two-three weeks, it was like I was two-three years back. I'm happy to have found the touch, hope it will continue in the final too,” she added.

Brief scores: India 164/5 (Mandhana 61, Rodrigues 44*; Kemp 2/22); England 160/6 (Sciver 41, Wyatt 35, Jones 31; Rana 2/28).

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