Leg-spinner Georgia Wareham was declared the Player of the Match for her figures of 3 for 17.
Australia's players celebrates defeating New Zealand in their Twenty20 women's World Cup cricket match in Melbourne on March 2, 2020. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)
Australia as always have qualified for the semifinals of Women’s T20 World Cup by inching New Zealand with a slender margin of 4 runs in their virtual quarterfinal tie at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 on Monday.
Leg-spinner Georgia Wareham was declared the Player of the Match for her figures of 3 for 17.
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☝️ Suzie Bates
☝️ Sophie Devine
☝️ Maddy GreenAdvertisement
A game-changing spell earns Georgia Wareham the Player of the Match award!#AUSvNZ | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/rnf76AgnF1
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) March 2, 2020
The day started with New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine winning the toss and inviting the hosts to bat first at Junction Oval in Melbourne.
Riding on 60 from Beth Mooney, Australia registered 155 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Opener Alyssa Healy (9) lost her wicket when Australia were at 20 runs. Soon, skipper Meg Lanning also walked back to pavilion after scoring 21. However, Mooney held the fort from an end and added 52 runs with Ashleigh Gardner (20) for the third wicket to take Australia out of hot waters.
In a bid to boost the run-rate, Mooney was caught out at boundary ropes, courtesy a brilliant airborne catch by Suzie Bates. The southpaw’s innings was laced with 6 fours and 2 sixes.
For New Zealand, Anna Peterson was the pick of the bowlers for her figures of 2 for 31 in 4 overs.
In their reply, the New Zealand batters gave their all on the field but failed inches short of the finishing line. Katey Martin’s unbeaten 37 off 18 towards the end kept the Kiwis in contention but Megan Schutt’s 3 for 28 helped Australia edge past the White Ferns.
With 21 balls remaining, New Zealand needed 41 to win.
Enter Megan Schutt. With three wickets in five balls, she turned the game decisively Australia’s way.
🔥 & ❄️ at the death! #AUSvNZ | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/OVq4n7UrxA
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) March 2, 2020
With the win, Australia maintain their record of entering the semifinal stages of the biennial event every time since its inception in 2009.
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