AUSTRALIA: Australia are into the World Cup final after a dominant win over West Indies.
Alyssa Healy was named the Player of the Match after scoring 129 from the top of the order. They have won all eight of their games at the tournament so far.
Alyssa Healy hit her fourth one-day century in a monumental opening stand as Australia beat West Indies by 157 runs.
Ellyse Perry, Australia’s ace all-rounder, had to miss the semi-final due to injury. Afy Fletcher of the West Indies was also out of the match after testing positive for COVID-19.
West Indies who had advanced to the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 after stunning teams such as New Zealand and England are now out of the tournament.
Australia has won seven of the seven group stage games. The lone match they lost was a warm-up game versus New Zealand before the competition began.
Australia is the most successful women’s cricket team in history, having won six of the eleven ODI world cups and finishing second twice.
In, this world cup, whether it’s about setting a target or chasing a mighty one, they have always been the best in the business. Australia topped the table with a net run rate of 1.283, the highest amongst all participants.
Aussie skipper Meg Lanning is the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 385 runs in 7 innings with a century and two half-centuries.
Her teammate & Aussie opener Rachael Haynes is just behind her, at the third spot with 344 runs in 7 innings with a century & a half-century.
Discussing a bowling unit, Jess Jonassen, newcomer Alana King & Ash Gardner are the most successful Aussie bowlers, all three with 8 wickets, throughout the tournament and all of them are spinners. Australia is a completely balanced side with all three departments working coordinately.
Before this, West Indies, have made it to the world cup finals once, back in 2013. They lost that game against Australia, by 114 runs. West Indies, came in dramatically after South Africa defeated India, in the last group stage game.
Discussing the batting unit, for WI, Hayley Matthews is at the top with 226 runs in 7 innings with a century against New Zealand. Wicket-keeper Shemaine Campbelle is the second-highest run-scorer for WI with 177 runs in 7 innings, with two half-centuries.
Opener Deandra Dottin has done well with the bowl, but she needs to score some more with the bat. A bowling unit has done pretty well with Hayley Matthews again at the top with 10 wickets in 7 innings.
Her teammates Shamilia Connel & Anisa Mohammed have taken 6 wickets across the tournament. Fielding from WI player has seemed to be improved, but consistency & coordination is important to win such big games.
Talking about the semi-final game, Australia skipper Meg Lanning quoted, “We’re preparing for their best, and their best is very dangerous.”
In a Twitter post, Hayley Matthews said, “To understand the celebrations of our semi-final qualification, is to understand how far we’ve had to come. as a team, to reach this point. One year ago, we were so far off something like this and completely written off coming into this WC. The growth is real in this team and I am proud (of it).”
Discussing the last five encounters between Australia & West Indies, dominating Australia has won all of them. But New Zealand, hosts themselves & England too had spectacular records against women in Maroon.
Also Read: ICC CWC 2022: South Africa Knocks India Out, West Indies March into the Semis Dramatically
