Xtra Time Web Desk: A brilliant fifty from Jemima Rodrigues and an inspiring spell of swing bowling from Renuka Thakur saw India women thrashed Barbados women to cruise into the semi finals of the Commonwealth Games 2022 at the Edgbaston ground on Wednesday. Being put in to bat first, India women posted 162. Renuka Singh continued from where she left in the game against Pakistan as she ripped apart the Barbados top order by picking all the first four wickets including captain Hayley Mathews and Deandra Dottin. Harmanpreet Kaur and his team will play either England or New Zealand in semi-finals.
India eves did not have a great start as they lost Smriti Mandhana early. But a fine fifty run partnership between Shafali Verma and Jemima Rodrigues, steadied the ship. However, a terrible mix-up in coordination saw Shefali missing her fifty.
After Verma’s dismissal, India was in a bit of bother with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur dismissed for a duck in the first delivery and Taniya Bhatia too returning back into the pavilion. Jemimah then began to switch gears and went on the attack to reach a fine fifty. She was also supported by Deepti Sharma who went on to remain not out on 34.
Pacer Renuka Thakur gave her side the perfect start as she dismissed Deandra Dottin in her first over and followed it on the next over by packing up Barbados skipper Hayley Matthews. On her third over she went on to bag Kycia Knight and Aaliyah Alleyne to bag an exceptional four-fer.
The remaining bowlers Sneh Rana, Meghna Singh, Radha Yadav and Harmanpreet Singh scalped a wicket each as Barbados ended their innings on 62/8 after 20 overs.