Women’s World Cup: Diwali eve heartbreak as India implode in chase, England seal semi-final spot 

Indore, Oct 20 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Under the festive glow on the eve of Diwali, Holkar Stadium was a cauldron of anticipation, with 16,300 spectators eyeing to celebrate an Indian victory. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur had set the stage for India’s highest successful chase with their third-wicket stand going past a century.

Needing just 57 runs off 57 balls with seven wickets in hand, India were well on course to hunt down England’s 288/8. With a buoyant mood and electrifying crowd, everything was going as anticipated till things fell apart sensationally in a script which felt all too familiar.

First Harmanpreet, then Smriti fell, and after Deepti Sharma was dismissed after getting her fifty, India’s familiar foe – big-match nerves resurfaced, turning a celebratory evening into a tale of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. By the time Amanjot Kaur hit a boundary over point on the last ball, the fireworks lit, but for an England victory, as India ended at 284/6 – falling four runs short.

England, clinical when it mattered most, have now joined Australia and South Africa in the semi-finals. For India, it was their third consecutive defeat – a streak that now threatens to derail their World Cup hopes. With a must-win clash against New Zealand looming on Thursday, the margin for error has vanished.

The party in Indore never quite took off – instead, it ended in stunned silence and a lingering sense of what might have been. The familiar feeling of not finishing things well – whether with the ball against South Africa or with bat against Australia- came back to haunt India for the third straight time in this competition – this time against England.

The foundation of England’s win was laid by Heather Knight, who hit 109 in her 300th international game – stitched with 15 fours and a six. In a knock that was a masterclass in sweeps, Heather shared a 113-run stand with Nat Sciver-Brunt, which gave them the platform for going past 300.

But losing their last five wickets for 42 runs meant they managed to post 288/8. It felt as if that collapse would come back to bite England, but it didn’t – more so when India played a batter less, thanks to them leaving out Jemimah Rodrigues for Renuka Singh Thakur’s pace.

With Smriti looking scratchy, Harmanpreet got going with three clipped leg-side boundaries. Smriti finally showed signs of catching up by edging and steering Charlie for a brace of fours. When the decisive match-up against Sophie Ecclestone came, Harmanpreet didn’t allow her to settle in by driving and lofting for boundaries, before creaming Linsey Smith for four.

When Smriti faced up to Sophie, she easily cut and flayed for her two boundaries. After Harmanpreet overturned an lbw decision off Charlie, Smriti got her fifty in 60 balls while Harmanpreet got hers in 54 deliveries, as the duo kept the scoreboard ticking with sharp running and boundary hitting.

But Nat had the last laugh when Harmanpreet went for a steer, but was caught by the short third man. Smriti continued to impress with her backfoot play to take boundaries off Charlie and Alice Capsey, even as Deepti kept the scoreboard ticking with her ones and twos, apart from the slog and sweep fetching her boundaries.

In a decisive moment, Smriti fell 12 runs short of her century when she didn’t get to the pitch of the ball from Linsey and holed out to long-off. With the run rate creeping to seven, Deepti eased the pressure by sweeping and flicking off Sophie and Nat for boundaries, and got her fifty off 55 balls.

But England struck as Richa Ghosh chipped to extra cover off Nat, while Deepti got a top-edge on slog-sweep and was caught by backward point. With 23 runs needed off the last two overs, Sneh Rana got a swipe through mid-wicket past two diving fielders for four. Despite Amanjot Kaur hitting a boundary on the last ball, it was too little too late for India as they ended up agonisingly short despite being in a commanding position to win.

Previously, with Renuka not getting any scalps despite getting swing and Kranti Gaud struggling with her lengths, it allowed Amy Jones to collect boundaries via drive, flick, and slice off the latter. While Tammy Beaumont struggled to get going, Amy continued the charge with two backfoot boundaries off N Shree Charani, while India missed an lbw review chance against Tammy off Kranti.

But Deepti Sharma struck soon after, castling Tammy with a fuller ball to claim her 150th ODI wicket and break the 73-run opening stand. Amy brought up her first World Cup fifty by swiping Renuka over long-on, but was dismissed soon after – lofting Deepti to short mid-on. Heather and Nat steadied England’s innings, picking a boundary each off Deepti and Amanjot Kaur before shifting gears.

Heather nailed the sweep and slog-sweep through the shorter side of the ground off Charani and Sneh Rana, and brought up her fifty in 54 balls with a reverse sweep off Sneh. She continued to sweep and reverse sweep effectively to take boundaries off Sneh, Charani, and Deepti.

India lost a review trying to overturn a decision against Nat, despite knowing Deepti’s ball was heading down leg – their eighth unsuccessful review of the tournament, the most by any side. Relief came when Nat drove Charani through extra cover and was caught brilliantly by Harmanpreet.

Heather had a life on 91 when Deepti dropped her at short backward square leg off Renuka, and capitalised by piercing Renuka through the off-side for four. Though beaten in flight by Charani, her edge evaded all to bring up her fourth ODI century off 86 balls.

Heather was eventually run out in the 45th over, failing to ground her bat as Amanjot hit the stumps directly. From there, India clawed back – Charani had Sophia Dunkley holing out to long-off. Deepti removed Alice Capsey via reverse sweep to point while Emma Lamb holed out to long-on. Despite Sophie Ecclestone’s run-out in the final over, England crossed 280, which was enough to maintain their unbeaten run in the competition and rejoice in the glow of victory on the Diwali eve.

Brief Scores: England 288/8 (Heather Knight 109, Amy Jones 56; Deepti Sharma 4-51, Shree Charani 2-68) beat India 284/6 (Smriti Mandhana 88, Harmanpreet Kaur 70; Nat Sciver-Brunt 2-47, Linsey Smith 1-40) by four runs.