Trapped in front! Australia, wearing the gold, have won the gold medal! Hold on! Yastika opts for the review now. She looks to reverse-sweep the length ball that landed on middle and seemed to have got it off the front pad after missing it. Clipping the wickets and that completes Australia's trilogy!
Well, that concludes women's cricket's first outing - and cricket's return after 1998 - in the Commonwealth Games. Do keep an eye for stories from the tournament. Shashank Kishore's report is in here. Hope you enjoyed ESPNcricinfo's coverage as much as we did in bringing it all to you. Thanks for joining us! This is Sudarshanan signing off on behalf of Alan and Vairavan. Ciao aficionados!
8:32pm The medal ceremony is about to begin. Australia, India and New Zealand take their positions near the podium - a reminder that New Zealand downed England earlier today to ensure a podium finish.
New Zealand get on the podium first as the bronze medals are presented to each of the players - in alphabetical order of their second names with the captain at the very end. Despite being battered by England in their last league game, they fought hard in the semi-final against Australia to go down narrowly. Within 12 hours or so, they were on the field today for the bronze medal match, where they gave England a taste of their own medicine.
A loud cheer at the Edgbaston as India get on the podium as silver medalists. It was another tournament of what-if but take nothing away from this young bunch. Their campaign began with a narrow loss against Australia before notching up three straight wins - including one over England for their first knockout win. On the big day, it was their thin batting, perhaps, that came back to haunt them with a collapse. But they can have their heads high with their spirited show in Birmingham. The wait for a world title carries on...
A replica of Perry, the official mascot of Birmingham Commonwealth Games, is also presented to each of the players after the medals.
And now for the moment of the night.
They were the favourites that walked the talks two years ago during the T20 World Cup at home. And they were touted to win the top honours in this inaugural edition of the Commonwealth Games and they delivered. Australia now get on the podium as the gold medals are presented to each of the players. Yes, it is their cricket system that is to be credited. But not before each of the players who have been at it and dominant for years now. The leader of the pack Meg Lanning has time and again captained remarkably well and - probably worth a mention - that it is not at the cost of her form. They find ways to find from any situation and they finish (yet) another tournament without losing a match. Not that they were not challenged; they found match-winners each time and can well hold their heads high.
8:15pm Back to the game. India were cruising. Harmanpreet and Rodrigues had gelled and almost built a house in the middle during their 96-run stand. Australia searching for answers and they couldn't find many. All that the Indin duo could see was gaps and that too at will. But then came Schutt - how many times have we witnessed her deliver in crunch moments? She cleaned up Rodrigues to begin a procession. And at the midst of it all was a certain Gardner, who only dished out wicket-taking balls.
You give an inch to Australia and they grab a mile. From a comfortable 2 for 118, India lost their last 8 wickets for just 34 runs and there's no comeback when that happens. Add to it the fact that Jonassen bowling the last over is safe as houses. Superb win for Australia and they yet again - not that they needed to - assert who the undisputed champions in women's cricket are. They were the favourites, they embraced it and went the distance with the eyes of the world on them.
Samyak: "Accept that indian women team do not have proper batter besides top four. How many 4s or 6s do the last seven batters have scored in last 15-20 matches. They need better supporting staffs as well."
Ram: "This might be the closest India have come to a historic moment for women's cricket. Today was very unfortunate, but I believe that this is the team with the best chance of knowing the Australians off their perch."
Sukrit: "These Indian women have come a long way. They have now been consistently knocking on the door in the tournament finals over the last 5-6 years. That day is not far away when they are going to knock that door down and break the Aussie-English monopoly over women's tournament victories"
8:11pm Australia continue their title-winning juggernaut and now they have a Commonwealth Games gold medal in their cabinets. Talk about fightbacks and comebacks, this Australia has done it - not once, twice but numerous times. The smiles and the jump in the huddle says it all. Meg Lanning is beaming and why wouldn't she. She has been the leader of this pace for a long, long time - undisputed if I may add.
Avinash: "Just proud of the indian women team...constantly giving a good fight to the best team in the world...Hope they do cross the line soon :)"
Aamir: "How many times we will see Australia's men and women teams pulling out such thrillers in big tournaments and win matches like this. Clearly shows that how mentally strong their teams are. Well done."
Both teams don't shake hands but have fish bumps from a distance due to the Covid-19 case. And the first thing Lanning does after meeting the support staff is hug head coach Shelley Nitschke. Rewriting record books one tournament at a time is this Australian bunch - which should be a subject of envy of many.
Premal: "Indian women cricket team needs a mental conditioning coach like the one that the mens team have. These girls are super talented, making them mentally strong will bring a lot of victories to the team and country."
Now Yastika comes down and hits it to long-off and goes for the run. Understandably, she wanted two and Meghna had no chance of making it back. But Yastika manages to cross over. Meghna unhappy with Yastika but that chat for later.
Yastika comes down the track but ends up yorking herself and pushes it through mid-off. Declines the single.
Three fielders deep on the leg side. Jonassen loves such pressure situations. Here we go...
11 needed off 6 legal balls. This is all going down to the wire. And it will be JJ to bowl. To the left-hander. Yastika - what can she do? Just two balls faced so far.
Amal: "Just imagine Yastika winning it for India. She wasn't even playing."
Makes room again, jams the full ball towards point and sets off. A throw that is not the best, by Mooney, and Meghna makes it in with the dive.
Makes room and Schutt follows her. Mistimes it back off the inner half.
What a moment for Yastika...
Aakarsh: "A women's IPL would help this incredible team be well equipped to handle such pressure situations! I hope the BCCI takes notice!"
Fuller on off, Meghna turns it across and hares to the other end. Direct hit could have been interesting.
India have lost 6 wickets for 46 in the last five overs and that means Meghna Singh finds herself in the middle.
Schutt appeals for lbw, given! Deepti reviews straightaway. I think I heard an inside edge. Let's see. She looked to flick the full ball around off and then was hit on her pads. Well, no inside edge there. Now the impact - it is in line and three reds. Excellent decision from Jacqueline Williams.
All the fielders are deep on the leg side for Deepti. Around comes Schutt.
What a strike from Deepti! Charges down the track to a length ball from Schutt. Smashes it absolutely off the middle of her bat. McGrath dived full length after getting across from long-on but couldn't prevent it.
Yastika Bhatia in the middle now. Finally.
Bull's eys at the bowler's end and that should be that for Radha. She makes room and smashes the length ball to mid-off and sets off. Doesn't beat the throw. India committing harakiri. Harris with the throw there.
Schutt back for the penultimate with India needing 17.
Flatter on off, punched towards cover for one.
Dropped but this is a terrific effort from Schutt at covers. She has saved a certain boundary. Deepti slaps it towards covers and the chance means she crossed over to the other end.
Thick outside edge but India won't mind. Quicker one on a length around off, Deepti gives herself room and looks to go over off but gets a thick edge past the keeper.
Yastika Bhatia Radha Yadav jogs out. Will be at the other end for starters.
Curtains for Rana and it is poor running! Moves across and mistimes the pull towards short fine leg. But she runs around to make it to the other end. In the interim, the throw is accurate to Gardner who disturbs the stumps.
Unfortunate for McGrath. Very, very unfortunate. She does well to get to her left from long-off. Looks to stop it with a tumble but her knee plugs into the surface and she fails to stop that. Rana had timed that well after coming down the track.
Over the wicket to Rana.
Half-tracker around off, doesn't climb much. Deepti heaves it through midwicket.
28 off 18. Remember India still have Yastika Bhatia who can bat. Gardner for now. 3 for 5 off her 2 overs so far...
Imtiaz Bahar: "This match reminds me of 2017 final where India lost the final from a winning position. Hopefully they win this time"
Flatter on middle, worked away through square leg for one.
Tossed up full on middle, Rana comes down and pushes it towards extra cover.
Juicy full toss, Deepti comes down the track and finds deep midwicket with the heave.
Full on off, swept to deep backward square leg for one.
Quicker and flatter down leg, Rana gets inside the line to play it fine but misses and so does the keeper. Tough ones to take there for a wicketkeeper.
Mahesh: "This is why this Australian team has been invincible. They can turn around a game in their side at any given stage "
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | 1W | |||
Edgbaston, Birmingham | |
Toss | Australia Women, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2022 |
Series result | Australia Women won the 2022 Commonwealth Games Women's Cricket Competition |
Match number | WT20I no. 1193 |
Hours of play (local time) | 17.00 start, First Session 17.00-18.30, Interval 18.30-18.50, Second Session 18.50-20.20 |
Match days | 7 August 2022 - daynight (20-over match) |
IND-W Player Replacement | Concussion sub: in, out (2nd innings, 0.1 ov) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |