Litchfield, Perry, and Gardner Power Australia to 338 in the Semi-Final

Australia was a dominant force in batting in the semi-final. Phoebe Litchfield got her maiden World Cup hundred, 119 of 93 balls, to get the 338-run figure started. Adding 77 and 63, respectively, Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner were the crucial partners in the middle overs.

The last phase saw India retaliate well. They grabbed eight wickets for 118 in the final 16 overs, yet 338 is a challenging target on the level surface of Navi Mumbai.

It was a good decision for Australia to bat first, as the morning rain cleared to reveal sunny weather. Captain Alyssa Healy, returning from a minor calf injury, opened the innings but was dismissed early by Kranti Gaud. The dismissal briefly slowed the scoring before Litchfield lifted the tempo, striking boundaries freely through both sides of the wicket.

Perry complemented Litchfield’s aggression with calculated stroke play, rotating the strike effectively while punishing loose deliveries. Litchfield, meanwhile, reached her century off just 77 balls, showcasing remarkable confidence and precision. She was eventually dismissed after attempting a scoop shot against Amanjot Kaur, but by then, the platform was firmly set.

Some momentum from the Indian spinners was seen in the middle overs, with N Shree Charani (2-49) and Deepti Sharma (2-73) each taking wickets, respectively. Nevertheless, a half-century by Gardner saw Australia ease to 300 runs.

The 338 of the Australian team was a good expression of depth and flexibility in a crisis, despite their later demise, when they lost four wickets for 45 runs. India now must adopt an effective approach to pursue what is likely one of the hardest targets in the tournament.