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NEW DELHI: India’s must-win Women’s T20 World Cup clash against Australia saw emotions run high as close friends Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues were involved in a heated exchange following a costly mix-up in the middle.India got off to a solid start, with openers Smriti Mandhana (38) and Shafali Verma (34) putting together a 66-run partnership. However, after Shafali’s dismissal, a communication error between Mandhana and Jemimah led to the former’s run-out at a crucial stage of the innings.The incident happened in the 12th over when Jemimah played a reverse sweep off Georgia Wareham towards short third man. Mandhana called for a quick single and set off immediately, but Jemimah was watching the ball and did not respond in time. Australia quickly capitalised on the opportunity, and Mandhana was run out after a direct throw reached the bowler.As Mandhana walked back to the pavilion, both players appeared visibly frustrated and exchanged angry looks. Watch:Although Mandhana later apologised, the incident briefly sparked a tense moment between the two teammates, who share a close bond off the field.
‘That’s part of the game. We moved on pretty quickly’: Mandhana
Despite the middle-order struggles, captain Harmanpreet Kaur produced a sensational innings, smashing 56 runs off just 27 balls to guide India to 170/4. Her explosive batting in the final over, which included three consecutive sixes off Australian captain Sophie Molineux, helped India score 36 runs in the last two overs.Reflecting on the innings and the run-out, Mandhana downplayed the incident. She said, “Yeah, I mean, it happens. That’s part of the game. We moved on pretty quickly.”With their semifinal hopes hanging in the balance, India will now look to defend what appears to be a competitive total against the six-time champions.
