India Women captain Harmanpreet Kaur (54) managed to leave behind a lean patch in the first semi-final of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2023 against Australia in Cape Town but couldn’t take her team past the victory line on the back of an unfortunate dismissal.
Advertisement
Kaur, 33, was in optimum control of the situation especially during a game-changing 46-ball 69-run fourth-wicket partnership alongside batter Jemimah Rodrigues (43). Rodriques’ dismissal around the halfway mark of a 173-run chase did bring back the Aussies into the match but Kaur’s absence had kept an enthralling contest in balance.
However, it was on the fourth delivery of the 15th over, when India needed 41 runs off 33 balls with six wickets in hand, that luck found Kaur as she was completing a second run.
Kaur, who swept Australia spinner Georgia Wareham with full force, would’ve easily reached the striker’s end had her bat not stuck in Newlands’ ground right before the popping crease. In no position to reach the crease, the Indian skipper was seen fuming upon returning back to the dressing room after registering a stroke-filled ninth T20I half-century.
Virender Sehwag draws analogy between Dhoni semi final run out and Harmanpreet Kaur run out
Former India batter Virender Sehwag was among the bountiful viewers who were reminded of former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s run-out from the semi-final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 against New Zealand.
Considering how India’s hopes were relying on Dhoni at Old Trafford that day, his run-out at the striker’s end had provided a substantial advantage to the BlackCaps who ended up winning the match by 18 runs.
A heartbroken Sehwag took to social media platform Twitter to draw fitting analogies between the two dismissals. Much like everyone, Sehwag lauded the Indian team for their effort but was also appreciative of Australia for qualifying for their seventh consecutive T20 World Cup final.
Defending champions Australia will face the winner of the second semi-final (between England and South Africa tomorrow) at the same venue on Sunday.
