Semi-final spot at stake for India in must-win match against South Africa

CHRISTCHURCH: India will be banking on an all-round show as they face South Africa in their final league match to seal their spot in the semi-finals of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup.

Currently, India are on six points, with three wins and as many losses while South Africa are already into the semi-finals. If they are to go into the semi-finals, India need a win. If they lose to an in-form South Africa side, they will be out of the competition.

It has been a rather up-and-down campaign for India in the tournament. In one match, they are a winning side but in the very next game, they end up as the losing team. Sample this: against West Indies, they made 317 and won by 144 runs. In the very next match against defending champions England, they were all out for 134 and lost by four wickets.

In India's batting at the World Cup, losing wickets in clusters has become a regular occurrence. Against Pakistan, they were 114/6 before Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar saved the day with a 122-run partnership. When facing New Zealand, they were 95/5 and eventually lost by 62 runs. India was 78/3 against the West Indies before Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur slammed centuries.

When facing England, India were tottering at 86/7 and were bowled out for 134. Against Australia, they lost two wickets within the first 10 overs and two in successive overs in the last ten stage. When facing Bangladesh, India slipped from 74/0 to 74/3 and were 108/4 before Yastika Bhatia and Sneh Rana staged a rescue act.

"With such a very crucial game tomorrow, everyone in the team knows their roles. All in the team are ready to give their 100 percent. Whenever someone goes out to bat, we always think of creating partnerships and take others along with you and back each other all the time in batting. I just hope that we get good partnerships tomorrow as a batting unit. Our bowling and fielding units have also got a lot better. We have been improving as a team," were Shafali Verma's words on batting improvements in the pre-match virtual press conference.

Shafali, out of the eleven after scoring a duck against Pakistan, came back against Australia and showed glimpses of shrugging her poor form by making a stroke-filled 42 against Bangladesh. Smriti Mandhana has looked good at the crease but will want to bat for long. Yastika Bhatia has been a solid performer for India, notching up half-centuries at three.

Ideally, India would like for runs to flow from Mithali Raj's bat. The skipper, one of the most experienced players in the side, hasn't been at her best self with the bat, barring the half-century against Australia. Her deputy, Harmanpreet Kaur, has been consistent with the bat and with Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana, has been leading India's charge with the final ten overs.

Their bowling attack, which took a beating against Australia, bounced back strongly against Bangladesh. But India might be tempted to bring in pacer Meghna Singh for leg-spinner Poonam Yadav due to the Hagley Oval's nature of helping the fast bowlers. They will also be buoyed by the fact that South Africa haven't been at their best while batting against spin, something which all-rounder Chloe Tryon touched upon. IANS

Also Read:  England rout Pakistan; South Africa seal semis spot

Also Watch: