Potchefstroom (TIP)- Opener Shweta Sherawat smashed an unbeaten fifty after Parshavi Chopra’s triple strike as India notched up a comprehensive eight-wicket win over New Zealand to storm into the final of the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup here on Friday, January 27.
India restricted New Zealand to 107 for nine with Parshavi (3/20) leading a disciplined bowling effort after skipper Shafali Verma won the toss and elected to bowl in the first semifinals.
The 16-year-old leg-spinner broke the backbone of the Kiwi batting line-up with three successive wickets to leave them at 74 for 5 in 13th over.
Titas Sadhu, Mannat Kashyap, Shafali and Archana Devi also scalped one wicket each.
For NZ, Georgia Plimmer (35), Isabella Gaze (26) and Izzy Sharp (13) and Kayley Knight (12) reached double figures as they struggled to score runs at the Senwes Park.
Chasing 108, the women in blue romped home comfortably after Sehrawat produced a scintillating 45-ball unconquered knock which was studded with 10 hits to the fence.
Following the early exit of Shafali (10), who has not performed as per expectations in the tournament, Sehrawat and Soumya Tiwari (22) added 62 runs to take them to the threshold of victory.
Sehrawat and Gongadi Trisha (5) then completed the job with the former bringing up the winning runs with a four off Browning as India scored 110 for 2 in 14.2 overs.
Parshavi was adjudged the Player of the Match for her three-wicket haul.
India will face the winner of the other semifinal between England and Australia.
T20I: New Zealand outplay India
by 21 runs in first T20I
Ranchi: Opener Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell struck half-centuries to guide New Zealand to a comfortable 21-run win in the first T20I of the three-match series in Ranchi on Friday, January 27.
Conway made a 35-ball 52, while Mitchell smashed a 30-ball unbeaten 59.
For India, Washington Sundar (2/22) scalped two wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav (1/20), Shivam Mavi (1/19) and Arshdeep Singh (1/51) accounted for one batter each.
Washington later came up with his maiden half-century in T20Is, scoring 50 off 28 balls and in-form batter Suryakumar Yadav scored a 34-ball 47 but it was not enough.
Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner chocked India in the middle overs, giving away just 11 runs in his four overs and dismissing two batters.
Brief Score:
New Zealand: 176 for 6 in 20 overs (Daryl Mitchell 59 not out, Devon Conway 52; Washington Sundar 2/22).
India: 155 for 9 in 20 overs (S Yadav 47, W Sundar 50; Mitchell Santner 2/11).