India clinched a semifinal berth after posting a comfortable 52-run victory over Ireland in a Group B match here on Thursday.
After the batswomen managed to score 145 for six on a slow track, the Indian spinners, led by Radha Yadav, maintained a tight leash on the Irish women, restricting them to 93 for eight 8 in 20 overs.
With its third win, India with six points was assured of a last-four spot along with Australia (six points from three games).
India’s strategy of packing the off-side cordon and bowling wide off the stumps paid off and Ireland was never in the chase, playing as many as 65 dot balls.
Earlier, put in to bat, India, riding on a half-century from Mithali Raj, managed 145 for six in its allotted 20 overs.
Though Mithali (51, 56b, 4x4, 1x6) and fellow-opener Smriti Mandhana (33, 29b, 4x4, 1x6) added 67 runs in 10 overs, the innings never got the required momentum on a track that remained a bit damp due to overnight showers.
After Smriti was bowled, going for wild slog, Jemima Rodrigues hit three fours in her 11-ball-18 before being stumped off a wide delivery when she tried to give charge. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur departed after hitting a six.
As wickets kept falling at one end, Mithali struggled to shift gears at the other. She was dismissed in the 19th over, deceived by a slower delivery from Garth, and India’s hopes of putting up a substantial total did not quite materialise.
