Calcutta/Derby: Harmanpreet Kaur played inarguably one of the finest ODI innings ever to lead India to a 36-run win against against Australia in the second semi-final of the ICC Women's World Cup, here, on Thursday.
India, reaching the final of the World Cup for the first time since 2005, will face England in the decider at Lord's on Sunday.
The India vice-captain smashed her way to a career-best magical 171 not out off 115 balls - fourth best in women's World Cups - leaving the Australian bowlers in a daze in a match that had been curtailed to 42 overs a side due to inclement weather.
It was largely due to her magnificent knock that India reached to an imposing 281 for four, which was their highest ever total against the Australians. The innings could well be termed as the best ever played by an Indian woman in limited-overs cricket.
In reply, Alex Blackwell (90) tried to make a match of it, taking the Aussies closer and closer to the target from a hopeless situation. The last-wicket pair of Blackwell and Kristen Beans frustrated India with a 76-run stand, but Deepti Sharma managed to rattle Blackwell's stumps to pick up her third wicket and seal the game for India.
Elyse Villani impressed early on with a fighting 75, but the fact that captain Mithali Raj's bowlers did exceedingly well to rip through the Australian top order - leaving them wobbling at 21 for three in the eighth over - never quite let the situation go out of control for India.
Among other Indian bowlers, spearhead Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey took two wickets apiece.
Harmanpreet''s third ODI century was embellished with 20 fours and as many as seven sixes. This is also the second highest individual score in ODIs for India behind Deepti Sharma's 188 not out against South Africa earlier this year.
It was out-of-the-world power-hitting by the girl from Moga district in Punjab - something that has made her a standout player for India. The milestone from 51 to 100 was reached in 26 balls while she raced to 150 from 101 in mere 17 balls. The sixes flew from her bat with monotonic regularity as the Aussie bowlers had no clue as to what hit them.
After a dry run during the better part of the league stage, India's most sought after T20 cricketer stepped up just when it mattered the most. After a useful 60 against New Zealand in the virtual quarter final, Harmanpreet upped the ante like never before.
She batted like as if there was no tomorrow, as she repeatedly hit the troika of left-arm spinner Jess Jonasen, off-break bowler Ashleigh Gardner and leg-spinner Kristen with utter disdain. Her footwork against the spinners was exemplary as she would repeatedly come down the track to loft them in the arc between long-on and deep mid-wicket.
