Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, India Women vs Ireland Women: Who won yesterday's match?

India Women beat Ireland Women by five runs (DLS method) in yesterday’s (February 20) ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 match at St George's Park in Gqeberha. With the win, the Women in Blue joined Australia Women and England Women in the semi-finals.

Batting first after winning the toss, India posted 155/6 on the board as Smriti Mandhana registered her career-best T20I score of 87 in 56 balls. In response, Ireland were 54/2 in 8.2 overs when the rain did not allow any further play. India were declared the winners as Ireland were five runs behind the DLS par score of 59.

Defending 155, India Women got off to a brilliant start as Amy Hunter (one) was run out off the first ball following a mix-up with Gaby Lewis. India had two in the over when Orla Prendergast (0) was cleaned up by Renuka Singh as she missed a length ball that angled in after charging down the wicket.

Laura Delany and Gaby Lewis then launched an impressive counter-attack. The duo found boundaries at regular intervals to lift Ireland Women to 44/2 at the end of the powerplay.

Rain, however, played spoilsport and killed any chance they had of causing an upset.

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Mandhana rides her luck to lift India Women to 155/6

India Women’s vice-captain Mandhana was dropped four times and made Ireland pay as the Women in Blue posted a competitive total. The left-hander struck nine fours and three sixes in her 56-ball knock to single-handedly take India past 150.

Batting first after winning the toss, India Women got off to a solid start, reaching 42/0 in the powerplay. Mandhana was dropped for the first time off the last ball of the seventh over. She drove Arlene Kelly to long-off, where the fielder got a hand on the ball, but ended up parrying it to the fielder towards long-on.

The Indian opener enjoyed more luck in the eighth over again as she went after a full-toss from Cara Murray and heaved it towards deep mid-wicket, where the fielder dropped a sitter. There was no such luck for Shafali Verma (24 off 29). She attempted to slam Delany towards deep square leg but ended up giving a catch.

After another dropped catch off Murray’s bowling in the 14th over, Mandhana brought up her 40-ball 50 by clubbing the bowler for a maximum to deep midwicket. In the next over, Mandhana took on Georgina Dempsey and smacked her for consecutive fours. She then hammered Delany for a six as India Women’s innings gained momentum.

Delany, however, hit back with two wickets in the same over. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur (13) and Richa Ghosh (0) both perished, trying to go for big strokes. Ghosh, who was unbeaten in her previous three knocks, was dismissed for a golden duck.

Following another dropped catch, Mandhana went on to slam Delany for a four and a six. Her luck eventually ran out after she crossed his highest T20I score of 86. She was caught at long-off while trying to take on Prendergast.

The bowler was on a hat-trick as Deepti Sharma (0) chipped a slower ball to cover. Jemimah Rodrigues (19 off 12) struck a couple of crucial boundaries in the last over off Kelly before being dismissed as India Women crossed 150.

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India Women vs Ireland Women: Who Won Player of the Match in yesterday's Women's T20 World Cup 2023 Match?

Mandhana was lucky, but she made great use of her fortune, smashing nine fours and three sixes. Renuka Thakur Singh impressed with the ball again, claiming 1/10 in two overs.

For Ireland, skipper Delany registered figures of 3/33, while Prendergast claimed 2/22 in her four overs. Lewis impressed with the bat during her 32* before the rain came down.

India Women’s vice-captain Mandhana was declared Player of the Match for her defining innings.