England clinched their fourth World Cup title after the nine-run win over India in the final at Lord’s, thanks to a six-wicket haul from pacer Shrubsole who ran through the India tail and win the final for England.
At 191 for the loss of three wickets, India were the favourites to chase the 229-run target and win their first World Cup title. But, a stunning collapse which saw them lose seven wickets for 28 runs and were bowled out for 219 in 48.2 overs as England clinched their fourth World Cup title after the nine-run win in the final at Lord’s, thanks to a six-wicket haul from pacer Anya Shrubsole who ran through the India tail and win the final for England.
In front of a full house at Lord’s, the match headed towards a tense finish with Indian batswomen keeping the required run-rate below six and continued to keep India ahead. Shrubsole picked wickets at regular intervals to put England back in it. In the end, she had the best figures for bowler in World Cup final: 6 for 46.
The game changed hands many a times in the Indian chase with England holding their nerves till the last moment to win the game. India lost an early wicket in the form of Smriti Mandhana in the second over. That was Shrubsole’s first of six wickets.
Mithali Raj and Punam Raut then tried to rebuild the innings and shared a 38-run stand for the second wicket. Raj and Raut looked good as they stole singles and got the odd boundary. But, Raj’s innings ended in an unfortunate way.
Raut pushed the ball to covers and took off for a single. Raj was never interested but still responded was caught way out of crease when Sarah Taylor ran her out.
England weren’t out of it when Raut and Kaur were together a 95-run stand. While Kaur took her time to settle, Raut was stepping down the pitch and sweeping the pacers. She picked up some handsome boundaries.
Kaur got tight lines from the bowlers which did not allow her to let loose. She did manage to hit a couple of sixes but only one off her 51 runs came from off-side. Raut was more versatile. England continued with the same line to Kaur.
She finally ended up playing one straight to the deep square-leg fielder. Veda Krishnamurthy joined Raut and played some outrageous shot. Shrubsole produced a slower one to get Raut leg-before.
India pressed the first panic button here. Wicket-keeper batsman Sushma Verma got a promotion but she was bowled around her legs. Veda had scored some runs so far. But, another Shrubsole’s slower one saw her slog to mid-on.
Deepti Sharma was India’s last hope. India still needed 29 off 33 balls but Shrubsole yorked Jhulan Goswami and that was end. India needed 11 runs with three wickets in hand but that did not happen.
Just like Shrubsole’s effort, India’s Goswami had rattled England. First, she bowled with the new ball and returned with figures of 5-2-9-0. In her second spell, she had figure of 5-1-14-3.
Taylor and Sciver had a partnership but after they were gone, Katherine Brunt, Gunn and Laura Marsh managed to score 60 runs off the final 10 overs and took them took 228 for 7.
Online Source: The Indian Express
