India beat Barbados by 100 runs to enter the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Games 2022. Renuka Thakur picked up four wickets in her first three overs with two of them coming in the very first over. Coming out to chase 163, Barbados were left tottering at 19/4 and were never in contention to win the match with their top batters like Deandra Dottin and skipper Hayley Matthews giving up their wickets without a fight.
In the end, Harmanpreet Kaur bowled herself and the likes of Shafali Verma as India bowled nine bowlers in a 20-over match which showed their win was a mere formality after the first ten overs.
India vs Barbados, CWG 2022 Group A Match, IN-W v BAR-W Highights
Besides, Thakur, skipper Harmanpreet, Meghna Singh, Sneh Rana and Radha Yadav all picked up one wicket each.
Earlier India had batted first and lost the wicket of Smriti Mandhana early. But from here on Shafali Verma (43 off 26) and Jemimah Rodriguez ( 56 off 46) combined for a 71-run stand to push the opposition on to the back-foot. Later, some confusion saw Verma losing her wicket and her departure was followed by the wicket of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur who was out LBW. But from here on, Rodriguez alongside Deepti Sharma again forged a counter-attacking stand.
Also Read: After Match-Winning Knock, Suryakumar Yadav Gets Busy Signing Autographs | WATCH
While the latter was big on huge shots, the former kept herself busy with singles and went onto reach her fifty in he dying stages of the game. In the end, she went onto score a superb boundary to end the innings.
Barbados’ run chase was below average. They failed miserably in reaching the 162-run target. Barbados’ ace batter Deandra Dottin went back to pavilion with a duck followed by captain Hayley Matthews who gave an easy catch to Shafali Verma on Renuka Singh’s ball.
Only Kyshona Knight (16 off 20) and Shakera Selman (12 off 16) managed to register double-digit scores as all other batters failed to stand India’s bowling attack.
Renuka Singh starred in the match as she scalped four crucial wickets of Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Kycia Knight and Aaliyah Alleyne. She crumbled Barbados’ top order and finished with 4/10.
India Women will now be seen in action in the Commonwealth Games semi-finals with all eyes set on Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana and Renuka Singh.
Get all the latest Cricket News, Schedule and Cricket Live Scores here