Cricket in Commonwealth Games Archives

Beth Mooney regains top spot in ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings

DUBAI: Australia left-handed opener Beth Mooney got the reward of her astonishing run in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games 2022 and reclaimed the top spot in the latest ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings.

Mooney, who lost the top spot to her teammate and captain Meg Lanning, leapfrogged the latter to top the list of women’s T20I batters, majorly dominated by the Aussies.

The left-handed opener had a remarkable Commonwealth Games campaign as she top-scored in the 10-day cricket event held at Edgbaston; amassing 179 runs from five innings. The 28-years-old remained a significant contributor to Australia’s unbeaten run that led them to the gold medal.

Back at the 🔝

Beth Mooney has regained her No.1 spot on the @MRFWorldwide ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings for batters 🔥

More ➡️ https://t.co/BrvkjRfqxj pic.twitter.com/wF8LPOkS0t

— ICC (@ICC) August 9, 2022

Captain Lanning, on the other hand, could manage 91 runs in as many innings, which resulted in her dropping a spot below her teammate Mooney.

In total, there are four Australian batters inside the top 10 with emerging cricketer Tahlia McGrath jumping seven places to claim the fifth spot, while Alyssa Healy remained in the ninth spot.

India youngster Jemimah Rodrigues was another major batter in the rankings, who jumped seven places to claim the 10th position.

Following Rodrigues’ entry, Silver medallists India now have three players inside the top 10, as she joins left-handed batter Smriti Mandhana (fourth) and Shafali Verma (sixth) in the standings.

Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof remained the top Pakistan batter in the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings, holding 27th rank.

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India stun England in a thriller to qualify for CWG 2022 Final

BIRMINGHAM: Left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana shone with a blistering half-century before the bowlers held their nerves calm to hand India a thrilling victory over the hosts England in the first semi-final of Commonwealth Games 2022.

Following their victory over the tournament’s favourites England in the semi-final, India have confirmed at least a silver medal in the ongoing Games.

The Asian side will compete in the gold medal bout tomorrow and await either New Zealand or Australia in the final.

In the match, left-handed opener Mandhana led the way with a quickfire half-century while Jemimah Rodrigues chipped in with an unbeaten 44 to aid India to a competitive total of 164/5 in the allotted 20 overs.

Mandhana top-scored with 61 off 32 balls, laced with eight boundaries and three sixes, while Rodrigues scored 44 off 31 deliveries including seven boundaries.

For England, Freya Kemp was the pick amongst the bowlers as she claimed two wickets, while Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver made one scalp each.

Set to chase 165, the hosts of the Games England, fell just four runs short of the victory as they could score 160/6 in the allotted overs.

The hosts batters displayed a dismal start right from the start as the openers failed to provide a solid foundation, while the middle-order remained a touch too slow in the proceedings, costing England to keep their gold expedition alive.

English skipper Sciver top-scored for the side with 41, however, faced 43 deliveries in course of her defending knock. Wicket-keeper batter Amy Jones, on the other hand, followed back with 31 off 24 deliveries but remained unlucky as she lost her wicket in a run-out.

Sneh Rana shone with the ball for India, taking two wickets and bowling a brilliant final over, defending 14 runs, while Deepti Sharma struck out a batter.

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Bowlers-led South Africa crush Sri Lanka by ten wickets in CWG 2022

BIRMINGHAM: South African bowlers wreaked havoc over the Sri Lankan batting line-up before the openers easily chased down the paltry target in the seventh over to complete a dominating 10-wicket victory for the Proteas.

Batting first, the Sri Lankan batters had a day to forget as the South African bowlers displayed combined effort to topple the Lioness’ batting line-up for a skimpy 46.

Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu remained the only batter to display grit for the side as she top-scored with 13, while the rest of the batters could not get into the double figures.

Right-arm pacer Nadine de Klerk led the way for South Africa with three wickets, while Masabata Klaas followed back with two. Shabnim Ismail, Nonkululeko Mlaba, and Chloe Tryon made one scalp each.

Set to chase a mere 47 in 20 overs, Proteas openers Anneke Bosch and Tazmin Brits easily steered their side to a crushing victory in the seventh over as none of the Sri Lankan bowlers managed to break their opening stand.

Brits top-scored with a run-a-ball 21, while Bosch followed back with a quick 20 off a mere 16 balls, laced with two boundaries.

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Dar’s fifty goes in vain as Barbados hand Pakistan crushing defeat in CWG

BIRMINGHAM: Captain Hayley Matthews and Kycia Knight starred as Barbados Women thumped Pakistan Women by 15 runs in their opening match of the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2022.

Set to chase 145, Pakistan fell 15 runs short as the Green Shirts could only manage to score 129/6 in the allotted 20 overs despite a brilliant half-century by all-rounder Nida Dar.

The Green Shirts found themselves in trouble early on in the run chase as the side lost four wickets at a combined score of 49 in the 11th over with the captain Bismah Maroof being the latest casualty, who struggled for her 12 off 28 deliveries.

Dar was the exception in the dismal batting show displayed by Pakistan as she scored an unbeaten 50 at a quick pace; facing a mere 31 deliveries and smashed eight boundaries including a six.

Another Pakistan all-rounder Aliya Riaz, nonetheless, also found it hard to keep going as she could only score 14 off 24 deliveries.

Following the top order failure and snail-pace knocks of Bismah and Aliya, Pakistan remained 15 runs short of the target as Dar’s valiant effort went in vain.

For Barbados, Shamilia Connell, Aaliyah Alleyne, Matthews, and Deandra Dottin made one scalp each.

Batting first, Barbados finished at a commendable 144/4 in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to the important half-centuries from Matthews and Knight.

Barbados’ start to their innings remained shunned as the side lost their opener Dottin for a combined score of mere nine in the first over, who could only score eight of five deliveries.

Following the early trouble, Matthews and Knight stood up for their team and put Barbados in the commanding position with a magnificent 107-run partnership for the second wicket as both scored fifties.

Matthews lost her way in the 18th over, soon after reaching her half-century and scored 51 off 50 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and a six. Knight, on the other hand, top-scored for the side with an unbeaten 62 off 56 deliveries with the help of nine boundaries.

Besides the dynamic duo, no other Barbados batter could manage to score into the double figures while 14 runs came in as extras.

For Pakistan, Fatima Sana bagged two wickets but remained expensive, while Diana Baig struck out a batter.

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Gardner neutralizes Renuka’s brilliance to stun India in CWG opener

BIRMINGHAM: Indian pacer Renuka Singh dismantled Australia’s top order before Ashleigh Gardner stole the show with a valiant 52 not-out and powered her side to a thrilling victory over India in the Commonwealth Games 2022 opener.

Coming out to bat at 34/4 while chasing 155, Australia’s middle-order batter Gardner displayed sheer grit as she steered her side over the line with an astonishing and unbeaten knock of 52.

The right-handed batter stopped the flow of wickets for India with her valiant effort and at the same time kept Australia in the hunt as she ticked the scoreboard at a decent pace. Gardner remained unbeaten on 52 off 35 deliveries, laced with nine boundaries.

Right-handed batter Grace Harris remained the other notable run-getter as she chipped in with a valuable 37 off a mere 20 deliveries with the help of five boundaries and two sixes.

Harris, alongside Gardner, put on an important 51-run partnership for the sixth wicket to strengthen Australia’s position in the game.

Following Harris’ dismissal, Gardner then joined hands with Alana King and put on an astounding 47-run unbeaten partnership for the second wicket which powered Australia to claim a scintillating victory in 19 overs. King scored 18 off 16 deliveries.

For India, Renuka led the way with four wickets for a mere 18 runs, while Deepti Sharma claimed two. Meghna Singh, on the other hand, made one scalp.

Batting first, India finished at a commendable 154/8 in the allotted 20 overs at the back of an outstanding half-century from their skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and opening batter Shafali Verma, who remained two runs short of the milestone.

Kaur led from the front as she top scored for the side with 52 off 34 deliveries, laced with eight boundaries and a six, while Verma scored 48 off 33 balls including nine boundaries.

Opening batter Smriti Mandhana scored a quickfire 24 off 17 balls at top of the order to provide her side with a flying start. The rest of the Indian batters, however, remained unable to get into the double figures.

Lef-arm spinner Jess Jonassen was the pick of the bowlers for Australia as she bagged four wickets for 22, while Megan Schutt claimed two. Darcie Brown, however, struck out a batter.

READ: Pakistan off to a dismal start in Commonwealth Games 2022