New Delhi: Harmanpreet Kaur delivered one of the greatest ever World Cup knocks as India breezed into its second ICC Women's World Cup final, crumbling down the defending champion Australia by 36 runs, in Derby, on Thursday.
Kaur took 115 deliveries to notch up a record-breaking 171 runs and stayed unbeaten as India posted a target of 282 runs in a rain-truncated semi-final encounter. It was Kaur's third one-day international ton and it came during the 35th over of their innings.
Opting to bat first, Indian eves were quickly reduced to 35 for two in the 10th over as both openers Smriti Mandhana (6) and Punam Raut (14) were shown the exit doors with barely any runs to add to the scoreboard.
Kaur then combined with skipper Mithali Raj (36) as the duo wove a much-needed 66-run partnership for the third wicket. After the captain's departure, she combined with Deepti Sharma to put forth a ravishing 137-run stand that bolstered India's total to 281, the highest ever against the Southern Stars.
Harmanpreet's scintillating ton was laced with 20 boundaries and seven sixes, one of which was even the 100th six in the ongoing campaign. Her unbeaten 171 is also the highest by any player (both men and women) in a World Cup knockout stage. Although former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev had notched up a similar during their 1983 Prudential Cup campaign.
It was during India's second group B encounter against Zimbabwe, at Tunbridge Wells. Kapil had single-handedly smashed an unbeaten 138-ball 175 as India registered a 31-run victory over Duncan Fletcher-led side.
What probably had worked in favour of the 28-year-old was the experience she had earned from playing in Women's Big Bash League for Sydney Thunder. She was well aware of the Aussie attack and that thereby played accordingly.
India will now face England at cricket's grandest stage of all, the Lord's, on Sunday.
