India's women cricket team advanced to the final clash of the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup by defeating New Zealand by 8 wickets on Friday. Opener Shweta Sherawat smashed an unbeaten fifty after Parshavi Chopra's triple strike as India notched up a comprehensive win.
India restricted New Zealand to 107 for nine with Parshavi (3/20) leading a disciplined bowling effort after skipper Shafali Verma won the toss and elected to bowl in the first semifinals.The 16-year-old leg-spinner broke the backbone of the Kiwi batting line-up with three successive wickets to leave them at 74 for 5 in the 13th over. Titas Sadhu, Mannat Kashyap, Shafali, and Archana Devi also scalped one wicket each.
For NZ, Georgia Plimmer (35), Isabella Gaze (26) and Izzy Sharp (13), and Kayley Knight (12) reached double figures as they struggled to score runs at Senwes Park. Chasing 108, the women in blue romped home comfortably after Sehrawat produced a scintillating 45-ball unconquered knock which was studded with 10 hits to the fence.
Following the early exit of Shafali (10), who has not performed as per expectations in the tournament, Sehrawat and Soumya Tiwari (22) added 62 runs to take them to the threshold of victory. Sehrawat and Gongadi Trisha (5) then completed the job with the former bringing up the winning runs with a four off Browning as India scored 110 for 2 in 14.2 overs.
Parshavi was adjudged the Player of the Match for her three-wicket haul. India will face the winner of the other semifinal between England and Australia.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand Women: 107 for 9 in 20 overs (Georgia Plimmer 35; Parshavi Chopra 3/20).
India Women: 110 for 2 in 14.2 overs (Shweta Sherawat 61; Anna Browning 2/18).
