India crash out of Women’s T20 World Cup: Australia ended India’s campaign with a convincing six-wicket victory on Sunday, raising fresh questions over Harmanpreet Kaur’s future as T20 captain. The six-time champions chased down 170 in 19 overs, securing a semifinal spot with a perfect record in Group 1. India crash out of Women’s T20 World Cup despite posting a competitive total, as Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner’s clinical batting sealed their fate.
Australia faced early trouble while chasing 171, losing Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, and Beth Mooney cheaply to be reduced to 68/3. However, Ellyse Perry (56 off 38 balls) and Ashleigh Gardner (53 not out off 29 balls) turned the game around with a match-winning 100-run partnership. Perry relied on timing and placement, hitting eight boundaries, while Gardner attacked the Indian spinners with powerful hitting. This defeat means India crash out of Women’s T20 World Cup at the group stage, failing to reach the semifinals.
Earlier, India posted 170/4, a total that looked competitive only because of captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s explosive knock of 56 off just 27 balls. Openers Smriti Mandhana (38) and Shafali Verma (34) gave a steady start with a 66-run partnership, but the scoring rate remained below expectations. Shafali was dismissed while trying to accelerate, and Mandhana was run out after a mix-up with Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 34 but struggled to maintain momentum. Harmanpreet changed the momentum late in the innings, smashing three consecutive sixes off captain Sophie Molineux in the final over, helping India score 23 runs in the last six balls. Yet, India crash out of Women’s T20 World Cup as the effort proved insufficient.
South Africa joined Australia in the semifinals, while India’s campaign ended in disappointment. This result intensifies scrutiny on Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy, as her squad failed to convert a strong total into a victory. For Indian cricket fans, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, but the team’s fighting spirit against a dominant Australia shows promise for the future.