India Women vs Australia Women: ICC Womens Cricket World Cup 2017

India need to do some soul searching now as two one-sided losses in a row have dented their hopes of qualifying for the semis. For the Aussies, it was a clinical performance and a kind of showing which is expected from the defending champions. This is it from us at the moment and do remember to come back for the live coverage of India's virtual quarterfinal against New Zealand on Saturday.

Until then, Sportskeeda will, as usual, be your one-stop destination for anything and everything related to cricket. Good night folks! It was a pleasure for me, Sumedh Pande, to cover this game.

Mithali Raj: "I thought it was a decent total after losing a wicket in the first two overs. We could have scored more in the middle overs. The bowlers were not upto the mark today. The wicket was gripping at the start and Australia did a good job with the ball. I am not happy with breaking the record because we did not win. It's a do or die game against New Zealand for us now. If we want to win, we have to improve in every department.

Meg Lanning: "I and Perry enjoy batting together. It is good to have her in the middle as she takes some pressure off me. The shoulder is doing fine. I am playing a lot straight because of it and it is helping me. We need to plan for our next game against South Africa. They are a tough opponent. We kept the same team after the loss against England as I had faith in my team. We still have a few areas to improve as we head into the semis. We have come in England to win the World Cup and that is our aim."

Player of the match - Meg Lanning.

Second inning summary -
Australia 227/2, 45.1 overs (Lanning 76*, Perry 60*; Yadav 46/1)

Despite a hundred from Punam Raut, a brilliant batting effort by Australia's top four guided them to a victory. India now have to play a do or die game against New Zealand on Saturday to guarantee a place in the semis.

Ellyse Perry finishes it off in style with a straight drive! Australia have completed a comprehensive win over India by a margin of eight wickets. This was a clinical run chase and at no point, it looked as if India were in with a chance. Australia top the group table now!

Jhulan Goswami is back on to bowl. This probably will be the last over of the match.

223/2. 45 overs.
Australia one hit away from a win now.

And she is saved surprisingly by guiding her hand back in the crease in time.

A third umpire decision pending for a stumping against Lanning.

Perry then pulls from the back foot and hits another boundary in the mid-wicket region.

Yadav continues. She tosses one up and beats Perry in the air. It gets a top edge but it falls short.

218/2. 44 overs.
Ekta Bisht finishes her spell after conceding 55 in her 10 overs. A bad day in the office for her.

Perry flicks one for two runs and completes her half century. Brilliant knock from the all rounder!

Ekta Bisht is brought on with Australia on the brink of victory.

215/2. 43 overs.
A decent over from Yadav as she concedes just 4.

Sharma takes a throw but it goes in the deep and Australia sneak a single.

Poonam Yadav comes on to bowl as India can only hope for a miracle at this stage.

211/2. 42 overs.
Perry finishes the over with another four with the Aussies now needing just 16.

Kaur continues. An interesting stat - 90% of the runs against Indian spinners have been scored of the back foot.

203/2. 41 overs.
200 comes up for Australia with Sharma going for 8 runs in her final over.

Perry inside edges one and fortunately for her, it misses the stumps. The Aussies then run three runs.

She bowls a fraction short and Lanning is quick to get on her back foot and hit it on the leg side for another four.

Sharma is on to bowl her final over.

195/2. 40 overs.
Easy pickings for Australia at the moment. They need just 32 of the last 10 overs.

Kaur sweeps one and finds the boundary yet again. What an inning this has been by the captain!

Kaur changes ends but is struggling to maintain a tight length.

186/2. 39 overs.
Just three from this over as Sharma bowls a decent eighth over of her quota.

Sharma has been the only Indian spinner who has received some turn from the wicket.

Another glaring fielding error which gives Lanning to pick up a double.

Deepti Sharma is back on!

183/2. 38 overs.
Bisht has been bowling criminally short in her second and third spells.

Perry tries to cut and misses. Still, a short delivery again by Bisht.

Bisht continues and again bowls a juicy short ball. It is dispatched for a four by Perry.

179/2. 37 overs.
7 runs from Kaur's comeback over with a misfield from Pandey going for a boundary.

Fielding lapses have cost India almost 20 runs this inning.

A good start to the over with Lanning going defensive for the first three balls.

Ekta Bisht will be bowling in the powerplay.

Australia have taken the batting powerplay.

172/2. 35 overs.
10 runs coming from Goswami's fifth as Australia need just 55 more from 15 overs.

Lanning late cuts and it races to the boundary ropes. A good over for the Aussies.

Perry plays a cover drive which is saved fro going to a boundary by a diving Poonam Yadav.

Goswami concedes a single and with it, Meg Lanning completes her 11th fifty in ODIs in 55 balls.

162/2. 34 overs.
Lanning has been the architect of this run chase and has done a commendable job so far.

Yadav is tossing it up but is not getting much turn from this end.

Poonam Yadav comes back on to bowl. Mithali Raj has gone to her premier wicket taker.

158/2. 33 overs.
A good start to her spell for Goswami who keeps it real tight.

Goswami is bowling straight as an arrow against Lanning.

Jhulan Goswami is brought back into the attack.