India vs Australia, Women T20 WC: Heartbreaking defeat in final leaves Shafali Verma in tears
Australia thrashed India by 85 runs in the final of the Women's T20 World Cup at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. It was a disappointing evening for India as they played dominant cricket throughout the tournament but choked in the big final.
Opting to bat, Australia rode on blistering half-centuries by openers Alyssa Healy (75) and Beth Mooney (78 not out) to post 184 for four before their bowlers, led by Megan Schutt (4/18) and Jess Jonassen (3/20), put up a disciplined effort to win their fifth title.
Chasing a challenging target, India, featuring in their maiden final of the tournament, couldn't handle the pressure and were bundled out for 99 in 19.1 overs.
Star India players like Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana had a bad outing as none of them put up a gritty show against fierce Australia bowling line-up.
Shafali, who was in tremendous form throughout the tournament, departed on the third ball of the game with just 2 runs in her kitty. After the match, Shafali wasn't able to control her tears and was seen crying in the dugout and on the field after the match.
The 16-year-old slammed 163 runs in five games and was the top-scorer for India.
