Women’s World Cup 2022: Here’s how points table stands after latest match

It was a thrilling Tuesday as four teams fought in two matches that were played in the day. The two undefeated teams – South Africa and Australia – faced each other in the first game, followed by India’s must-win match against Bangladesh.

Australia continued their winning form and defeated the Proteas by five wickets. Skipper Meg Lanning scored a century off 92 balls, making a statement that her team is here to win. She ended the game remaining unbeaten on 135 in 130 deliveries. She shared crucial partnerships with Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, and Annabel Sutherland during the chase.

The two teams faced each other in an ODI for the first time in five years, as their last encounter was back in 2017. Having put in to bat first, South Africa managed to score 271 runs at the loss of five wickets, with Laura Wolvaardt being the top scorer for her side with her 90(134). Wolvaardt, along with fellow opener Lizelle Lee, started the game off really well. Australia got their first breakthrough in the 20^th over when Alana King dismissed Lee for 36(44).

It seemed like the Aussies had the upper hand in the game, but Proteas skipper Sune Luus contributed really well with the bat as she scored an important 52(51), before getting dismissed by Megan Schutt. Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tyron, towards the end, built a great inning as they added 43 runs to their scorecard in the last four overs.

Ellyse Perry’s injury during the first innings, and two early wickets during the chase, were a big blow for the Australian team, but Lanning’s knock made them forget all their worries and the Aussies finished the game with 28 balls to spare. The women in yellow have outperformed all the opponents they’ve faced so far and are the rulers of the points table, having won six out of six matches. Their consistent performances throughout the tournament make them the No. 1 contenders for the championship.

Australia continue their winning form, India keep the semi-finals hopes alive

In the second game, India triumphed over Bangladesh to keep their semi-finals hopes alive. The women in blue put up a target of 230 runs for the opponents to chase, and went on to bundle them out for 119 runs, winning the match by 110 runs. This was exactly the kind of victory that the Indians were looking for. After facing two back-to-back losses, India had to make a big win to remain in contention.

Batting first, India scored 229 runs at the loss of seven wickets. Openers Smriti Mandhana, 30(51), and Shafali Verma, 42(42) gave a good start to their team and shared a 74-run partnership. The two were dismissed one after the other in the 15^th and 16^th overs, and it was followed by skipper Mithali Raj’s dismissal for a golden duck. In no time, India was 74/3 from being at 74/0. It was Yastika Bhatia who steadied the innings for her team with a crucial knock of 50(80), bringing up another half-century.

Towards the end, Pooja Vastrakar, 30(33), and Sneh Rana, 27(23), led their team to cross the 200-run mark on the scoreboard. It was the Indian bowlers who stole the show in the second innings. Bangladesh was struggling to put runs on the board during their chase as Indian bowlers kept picking wickets at regular intervals, and brought them down to 40/5 at the end of the 18^th over. Lata Mondal and Salma Khatun tried their best to stay intact on the field but failed to score many runs.

India finished off the game in the 41^st over, and Sneh Rana added four wickets to her tally. Jhulan Goswami and Pooja Vastrakar added two wickets to their bag, while Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Poonam Yadav picked one wicket each.

As Australia and South Africa remain unchanged, India has replaced West Indies to grab the third spot on the table, but the fight to make it to the semi-finals is still on, with West Indies, India, New Zealand, and England looking to secure the third and fourth spot on the table.

ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 – Points Table