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Harmanpreet Kaur's India are through to the Women's T20 World Cup for the third time in a row as they beat Ireland by five runs by DLS method in a rain-hindered match on Monday (February 20). Due to persistent rain, the match was halted midway when Ireland's scoreboard read 54/2 after 8.2 overs in reply of India's 155/6. But as per DLS method, 59 was the par score after 8.2 overs and unfortunately Ireland had suffer a five run defeat.
Riding on Smriti Mandhana's incredible 87 off 56 India posted a competitive total of 155/6. In reply, Ireland got off to a horrific start losing two wickets in the first over of their chase which included a run-out. Captain Laura Delany - who picked a three-fer with the ball - steadied the ship along with Gaby Lewis and kept their team in the hunt as the duo stitched a fifty partnership. But the heavens opened up in the 9th over and Ireland were five runs behind the DLS par score of 59.
India were off to a fine start after winning the toss with the opening duo of Mandhana and Shafali Verma putting on 62 runs in just under 10 overs at St George’s Park. But Shafali once again got out after getting a start, caught by Amy Hunter off the bowling of skipper Laura Delany, who introduced herself into the attack after the frontline bowlers failed to get the team a breakthrough.
Harmanpreet joined Mandhana in the middle, and the two looked to build on a partnership. Playing strokes turned out to be difficult on a surface that appeared to be a bit on the slower side.
The slow nature of the wicket notwithstanding, Mandhana maintained an excellent strike rate and reached her half-century in style, hitting leg-spinner Cara Murray for a six over deep mid-wicket.
Mandhana was lucky to have survive a scare just before getting to her fifty, but Arlene Kelly could not complete the catch after the batter top-edged a tossed-up delivery from Murray towards mid-wicket.
Mandhana then struck two successive fours off Georgina Dempsey, before sending Delany over the cow corner for another maximum.
Ireland came back with the wickets of Harmanpreet and Richa Ghosh in successive balls, but Mandhana continued to attack the bowlers and hit two more boundaries off Kelly before giving the same treatment to Delany, striking her for a four and a six to help India inch towards 150. A century was on the cards, but Mandhana’s brilliant innings came to an end as she tried to take the aerial route. Jemimah Rodrigues struck two fours in the final over, before getting off in the last ball of the India innings for a 12-ball 19.
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