Skipper Aimee Watkins led New Zealand into the final of the women’s World Twenty20 with a rousing 52-run win over India in Nottingham, England, on Thursday.
Watkins, who won the toss and elected to bat at Trent Bridge, smashed an unbeaten 89 off 58 balls as the White Ferns scored 145-5 and then restricted India to 93-9 at Trent Bridge.
The New Zealand captain’s score was higher than the men’s best of 88 by West Indian captain Chris Gayle against Australia in their ongoing World Twenty20.
PHOTO: AP
India, hoping to make up for the absence of the men’s team from the semi-finals, managed just four runs more than Watkins’ own contribution as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.
Amita Sharma top-scored for the Indians with 24 off 27 balls, hitting the only six of the innings, while opener Mithali Raj made 20.
Eight Indians failed to reach double figures as Sian Ruck and Amy Satterthwaite picked up two wickets each.
Watkins plundered 10 boundaries and two sixes even as none of her teammates managed to reach 20.
Watkins and Sophie Devine (14 not out) added 25 runs from the last 12 balls, including a six by Watkins off the final delivery of the innings by Rumeli Dhar.
Asked if Thursday’s effort was her best batting performance, Watkins said: “I’ve played some good innings, so I can’t really say. But this would be one of my best.”
India captain Jhulan Goswami said: “Aimee Watkins played superbly and 145 was a good performance. We tried to restrict them to less than 130 but the openers didn’t give us a good start.”
Team manager Diana Edulji said there was much to work ahead.
“Our fielding is on the weaker side but we took some good catches and there was a good run-out today,” she said. “We have learned a lot from this experience and will take plenty of positives out of the tournament.”
New Zealand, who also entered the final of the 50-overs-a-side World Cup in Australia in March where they lost to England, have won all their four matches so far.
They were awaiting the winner of yesterday’s second semi-final between Australia and England at the Oval in tomorrow’s final at Lord’s.
BUMRAH WATCH: Captain Jasprit Bumrah left the SCG for scans for back spasms and although he returned to the ground, there was no word on if he would play Rishabh Pant’s blistering counterattack yesterday capped a chaotic second day of the fifth and final Test between Australia and India, with 15 wickets falling and the star bowler of the series leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground with an ambulance escort. Yet the Border-Gavaskar trophy still remains very much in the balance as India reached 141-6, holding a 145-run lead over Australia with three days remaining. “Low-scoring games like this, it just heightens the pressure within it, so long way still to go,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said. “There’s gonna be plenty of cricket, so we’ll see what happens.” Australia were bowled out for
Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan yesterday dumped defending champions Germany out of the United Cup with world No. 2 Alexander Zverev sidelined by an arm injury barely a week away from the Australian Open. The upset in Perth sent the Kazakhs into the semi-finals of the 18-nation tournament. In Sydney, women’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek led Poland into the last eight by winning a rematch of her 2023 French Open final against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. Britain also progressed to the quarter-finals with Katie Boulter’s dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Olivia Gadecki enough to guarantee they won their group. The US and
HAT-TRICK PREP: World No. 1 Sabalenka clinched her first win of the season, as she aims to become the first woman in 20 years to win three Australian Opens in succession Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Taylor Fritz yesterday all clocked impressive wins as tennis powerhouses Italy and the US surged into the quarter-finals of the mixed-team United Cup. World No. 3 Gauff swept past Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-4, 6-2 to avenge a loss at the Paris Olympics, while Fritz took care of Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 in searing Perth heat. That was enough to put the Americans — last year’s winners — into a last-eight clash with China today, while Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan today are to meet defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev, in the other Perth quarter-final. In Sydney, the in-form
Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek yesterday beat Elena Rybakina in straight sets to take Poland into the final of the mixed-teams United Cup with victory over Kazakhstan. Last year’s runners-up face the US today for the title in Sydney after they beat the Czech Republic in the other semi-final. “This win makes me really proud,” Swiatek said after seeing off Rybakina 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to give Poland an unassailable 2-0 lead in the tie. It was a statement of intent from the world number two with the first major of the year to start on Jan. 12. “It is perfect preparation for the
RSS