POTCHEFSTROOM: India's quest for a maiden world title in women's cricket finally came to an end on Sunday when they defeated England by seven wickets in a low-scoring finale to emerge as the winner of the inaugural ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup at the JB Marks Oval here.
Nearly 18 years after India first made it to the final of a World Cup through the 50-over event in 2005, Shafali Verma & Co produced a superb bowling performance coupled with some outstanding fielding to bowl out England for just 68.
Fast bowler Titas Sadhu, off-spinner Archana Devi and leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra were accurate in their line, and length and found enough help to pick two wickets each. Shafali, left-arm spinners Mannat Kashyap and Sonam Yadav took a scalp each in a dominating bowling performance.
The fielding, despite a few blips, was athletic with some exceptional catches taken as England never got going with the bat. In chasing 69, on a slow pitch and aiding spinners, India lost Shafali and Shweta Sehrawat in the first four overs.
But Soumya Tiwari (24 not out) and Gongadi Trisha (24) stitched a vital partnership and shared a 46-run stand for the third wicket to complete the chase in 14 overs and give India their first-ever World Cup title in women's cricket.
Brief scores: England 68 all out in 17.1 overs (Ryana Macdonald-Gay 19, Titas Sadhu 2-6, Parshavi Chopra 2-13) lost to India 69/3 in 14 overs (Soumya Tiwari 24 not out, Gongadi Trisha 24; Hannah Baker 1-13, Grace Scrivens 1-13) by seven wickets.
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