Gardner powers Australia to Women’s T20 World Cup final

Australia has survived a brave chase from India to advance to a seventh straight women’s T20 World Cup final, with a five run victory in Cape Town.

Big hitting from Ash Gardner late in the Australian innings, combined with a half-century from opener Beth Mooney and 49 not out from captain Meg Lanning laid the platform as Australia made 4-172.

Both Mooney and Lanning benefited from sloppy catching from India, whose dropped chances in the 2020 T20 World Cup final had played a part in Australia clinching the trophy at the MCG.

Lanning, dropped on one and nine, struck six boundaries in her 34-ball knock to bring up her highest score of the tournament.

Her brisk 36-run second-wicket stand with Mooney took the title favourites to 88 in the 12th over, when an off-cutter from Shikha Pandey had the left-hand opener cut a dolly to Shafali Verma, who had dropped her at long-on when she was on 32.

Earlier, Alyssa Healy kicked off the high-octane clash with a four first ball in the six-run opening over from swing bowler Renuka Singh Thakur.

The veteran wicketkeeper-batter, who sat out Australia’s last group-stage fixture with soreness in her left quad, was on 20 off 21 when India opted for the DRS to overturn a not-out lbw decision but replays showed a pronounced under-edge.

But it was Gardner who was brilliant with the bat and pivotal again late in the match, when she ran out India captain Harmanpreet Kaur for 52.

Gardner launched the throw in from the boundary before Kaur dug the toe of her bat into the turf and the bails were whipped off by Healy.

A disgusted and infuriated Kaur, threw her bat in disgust.

But the match still went down to the wire with India needing 20 from the last two overs before Jess Jonassen bowled Sneh Rana and Gardner delivered a tight final over for the Australians to hold on.

Gardner would finish the match with figures of 2-37 to go with the vital run out and innings of 31, which included 5 boundaries from 18 balls.

Gardner, who was awarded player of the match said her nerves were jangling, bowling a last over where India needed just 12 runs.

“Bowling the last over I reckon my average heart rate was 190 to be honest with you,” Gardner told Fox Sports.

She said the win showed the type of resolve the Australian team has been known for, as for most of the run chase India were ahead.

“We know they are really handy batters all the way down … and in the later stages with ball in hand for me it was just about trying to hit the wicket and not give them any freebies.”

Kaur said the result was not what India expected after they had taken the ascendancy during the middle part of the run chase.

“We got the momentum back when Jemimah (Rodrigues) and I were batting, and after that losing this game is not what we were expecting today,” Kaur said.

“The way I got run out … I think putting the effort in was more important, and that we took this game to the last ball.”

For Gardner she said her confidence continues to rise ahead of a final against either England or South Africa.

“I felt really confident coming into this game with the innings I have had this World Cup and have to take that into the next game and hopefully we are winning the final,” she said.

ABC/AAP