India into U-19 Women’s T20 WC final with easy victory

POTCHEFSTROOM: Opener Shweta Sehrawat smashed an unbeaten fifty after Parshavi Chopra’s triple strike as India notched up a comprehensive eight-wicket win over New Zealand here on Friday to storm into the final of the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.

India restricted New Zealand to 107 for nine, with leg-spinner Parshavi (3/20) leading a disciplined bowling performance, after skipper Shafali Verma won the toss and elected to bowl first in the semi-final contest.

The 16-year-old broke the back of the Kiwi batting line-up with three successive wickets, leaving it at 74 for five in the 13th over.

Shafali (1/7), Titas Sadhu (1/17), Archana Devi (1/20) and Mannat Kashyap (1/21) scalped a wicket each for In- dia that held the upper hand at the break.

For a struggling New Zealand side, only four batters – Georgia Plimmer (35), Isabella Gaze (26), skipper Izzy Sharp (13) and Kayley Knight (12) – reached double figures.

Chasing 108 for a berth in the title decider, India romped home after Shweta (61 not out off 45 balls) produced a scintillating unconquered knock which was studded with 10 hits to the fence.

Following the early exit of Shafali (10), who has not performed as per expectations in the tournament, Shweta and Soumya Tiwari (22) added 62 runs for the second wicket to take the team to the threshold of victory.

Shweta and Gongadi Trisha (5 not out) then completed the job, with the former hitting the winning runs with a boundary in the 15th over.

Parshavi was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ for her game-changing three-wicket haul.

BRIEF SCORES: New Zealand Women 107/9 in 20 overs (Georgia 35, Parshavi 3/20) lost to India Women 110/2 in 14.2 overs (Shweta 61*)