Team India suffered a heart-shattering loss to Australia in the Gold Medal match of the Commonwealth Games Women Cricket Competition on Sunday.
The Women in Blue failed to hold their nerves in the 162-run chase, eventually falling short by nine runs. This was the third occasion when the Indian women’s cricket team had succumbed to the pressure of playing on the big stage, losing once again to the mighty Aussies.
Opting to bat first, Aussie opener Beth Mooney smashed a brilliant half-century to help her side reach a competitive total. Mooney scored 61 off 41 deliveries with the help of eight boundaries and formed a 73-run stand with captain Meg Lanning as the duo looked to cruise through for a big total.
However, India managed to fight back with some tremendous bowling and fielding effort, restricting Australia to 161/8 in 20 overs. Renuka Singh (2/25) and Sneh Rana (2/38) picked up two wickets each.
In response, India failed to get off to a good start, losing both their openers – Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana – inside the powerplay. But a 96-run partnership between captain Harmanpreet Kaur and middle-order specialist Jemimah Rodrigues kept India in the hunt, and the equation reached 43 required off the last 33 balls.
With Harmanpreet well-set on 65 off 43, it appeared India would go on to record a historic win. However, it all changed in a matter of eight balls. Megan Shutt got rid of Rodrigues while Ashleigh Gardner dismissed Pooja Vastrakar and Harmanpreet in successive deliveries to reduce India to 121/5. The middle-order then fell like a pack of cards as India lost their final five wickets for just 13 runs to get bundled out for 152 in 9.3 overs, losing the contest by nine runs.
Following their loss in the final, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly took to Twitter and reckoned the Women in Blue would be disappointed as it was their game.
“Congratulations to the Indian women’s team for winning silver…But they will go home disappointed as it was their game tonite ..@BCCIWomen,” tweeted Ganguly.
Congratulations to the Indian women’s team for winning silver ..But they will go home disappointed as it was their game tonite ..@BCCIWomen
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) August 7, 2022
Here is how others reacted:
A tight finish in the end and Australia beat India by 9 runs in the final of the Commonwealth Games.#TeamIndia get the SILVER medal 🥈 pic.twitter.com/s7VezmPhLI
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) August 7, 2022
It was such a close contest but I’m proud of our team and we all should be! Many congratulations for the 🥈.#INDvsAUS #CWG22 pic.twitter.com/P5KNdS7FIm
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) August 7, 2022
Congratulations Australia 🎉
Australia beat India, wins the GOLD MEDAL in #B2022 🥇
📝 Scorecard: https://t.co/2jCQ4wcdbl pic.twitter.com/cZlBLY2IYc
— ICC (@ICC) August 7, 2022
Y’all kept us glued to the screen!
Very well played throughout the tournament and extremely proud of you #TeamIndia 🥈#INDvsAUS #CWG22 pic.twitter.com/EIBVYEJn1O— DK (@DineshKarthik) August 7, 2022
ODI WC 2017 final at Lord’s
India Women chasing England’s 228, were 191/3 in 42.4 ov, but dismissed for 219 in 48.4 ov.Today in the #CWG22 T20I final at Birmingham
India Women chasing 162 were 118/2 in 14.2 ov but dismissed for 152.#INDvAUS #INDvsAUS#CommonwealthGames2022— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 7, 2022
Excitement at its best! #TeamIndia fought hard.Close game but Aussies handled the pressure in the end.Loved the intent,the new approach of this Indian team.Congratulations on well deserved silver medal 🥈. Proud of you girls!Well done @ImHarmanpreet #INDvsAUS #CWG22 @BCCIWomen
— Reema Malhotra (@ReemaMalhotra8) August 7, 2022
Well done. Great courage in a final. @ImHarmanpreet, @imrameshpowar great job. Something big coming soon. Hang in @BCCIWomen #INDvsAUS #CWG2022 pic.twitter.com/YAJq3P9JRV
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) August 7, 2022
Yes it was heartbreaking 💔 for a while but by realizing how we have reched suddenly respect for #TeamIndia was araised. Congratulations @ImHarmanpreet & Team.
We are proud of you ladies.#CWG2022 #Cricket #INDvsAUS #Cheer4India pic.twitter.com/HWuyl1TMUg— Munaf Patel (@munafpa99881129) August 8, 2022
Australia again. So near and yet so far. But well played. Silver is still good. #INDvsAUS
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) August 7, 2022
We all are heartbroken but not even close to what our girls are feeling right now. Few lines from the famous poem dedicated to our women’s team
तू न थकेगा कभी
तू न थमेगा कभी
तू न मुड़ेगा कभी
कर शपथ कर शपथ कर शपथ
अग्निपथ अग्निपथ अग्निपथ🙏🏼@BCCIWomen #INDvsAUS #CommonwealthGames pic.twitter.com/bIw6lKX5O2— Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) August 8, 2022
Indian team defeated the best of the teams in this Commonwealth Games and almost had the gold in their hand. India is proud of them. #AusVsInd pic.twitter.com/3skbhQywYT
— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) August 7, 2022
Whole nation is proud of you…well done…👏👏👏 https://t.co/KFXfebzwXi
— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) August 7, 2022