Games-Australia to play India for gold in women's cricket

BIRMINGHAM, England :Favourites Australia will face India for a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the women's 20-over cricket event after they defeated trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand by five wickets at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Australia, who won the last two T20 World Cups in 2018 and 2020 and the 50-over World Cup earlier this year, chased a target of 145 with three balls to spare following a 56-run partnership between Beth Mooney (36) and Tahlia McGrath (34).

Put in to bat, New Zealand ended their innings on 144/7 after captain Sophie Devine's knock of 53 and Amelia Kerr's 40.

Fast bowler Megan Schutt took 3-20 for Australia, while McGrath got two wickets and Jess Jonassen bagged another.

Cricket returned to the Commonwealth Games this year after a 24-year absence with the women's event. The South African men's team claimed the last Commonwealth Games cricket gold medal, in a 50-over format, in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

INDIA WIN THRILLER

Earlier, India advanced to the final by beating England by four runs in the first semi-final.

Chasing a target of 165, England looked to be in control when captain Nat Sciver (41) and wicketkeeper Amy Jones (31) formed a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket, before Jones was run out in the 17th over and Sciver was run out in the 18th.

Sneh Rana bowled a tight final over, picking up a wicket, to finish with 2-28, while Deepti Sharma took 1-18 as India prevailed in the thriller.

Opener Smriti Mandhana smashed 61 from 32 balls before Jemimah Rodrigues scored an unbeaten 44 from 31 deliveries to guide India to 164-5 in their 20 overs.

England will face New Zealand for the bronze medal on Sunday morning.