Tears in dugout: Smriti Mandhana breaks down as India stare at World Cup exit

NEW DELHI: Four-time champions England booked their spot successful the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup aft a nail-biting four-run triumph implicit hosts India successful Indore connected Sunday. England posted a competitory 288/8, anchored by Heather Knight’s classy century, and held their nervus successful the tract to support it, contempt their bowling, usually their strength, being somewhat off-colour.

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India looked connected people for victory, needing conscionable 62 runs from the past 10 overs with 7 wickets successful hand. But the dismissal of Smriti Mandhana shifted the momentum. The elegant left-hander, who had been anchoring the chase, danced down the way to left-arm spinner Linsey Smith but failed to wide long-off. Soon after, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma fell successful speedy succession, leaving the process exposed. As the lucifer slipped away, Mandhana struggled to power her tears, a poignant reminder of however adjacent India had come.Deepti Sharma, aft reaching her half-century, attempted a risky slog expanse against Sophie Ecclestone and was caught astatine heavy mid-wicket, sealing England’s victory.

"We astir apt needed 300, but we did good to propulsion things backmost and I'm precise happy. Didn't lend overmuch successful the past mates of games, truthful it felt bully to travel up with a match-winning hundred," said Knight, whose 109 disconnected 91 balls, laced with 15 fours and a six, powered England’s innings.

England’s openers gave them a brisk commencement with 73 runs for the archetypal wicket earlier Knight and skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt stitched a 113-run basal to support the scoreboard ticking.

At 1 point, England seemed acceptable to breach 300, but Knight’s tally retired during a 2nd tally triggered a slowdown. Deepti Sharma finished with 4 wickets, keeping India successful the hunt.The decision marked India’s 3rd consecutive loss, leaving their adjacent clash against New Zealand a virtual knockout.

Both teams are connected 4 points, and lone a triumph successful some remaining games, on with favourable results elsewhere, volition support India’s semi-final hopes alive."Not definite however we mislaid this game. We had it successful the bag. We've worked truthful hard and erstwhile the past 5 overs gaffe distant from you, it's heartbreaking. This is the 3rd consecutive crippled we've mislaid aft coming truthful close," lamented India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, reflecting the anguish felt by the squad and peculiarly by Mandhana, whose heartbreak underlined however agonisingly adjacent India came to victory.