England Have Players Who Can Finish Games : Shikha Pandey

Australia stormed into their eighth ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final with a commanding eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the first semi-final at The Oval. Speaking on JioStar's ‘Adidas Match Centre Live’, JioStar expert Shikha Pandey analysed Australia's clinical display against West Indies, Beth Mooney's match-winning knock, looked ahead to the second semi-final between England and South Africa.

Speaking on JioStar's ‘Adidas Match Centre Live’, JioStar expert Shikha Pandey discussed the struggles of West Indies' batting unit against Australia:

"West Indies were relying heavily on Hayley Matthews, their premier batter. But they didn't make it easy for her. Qiana Joseph struggled from the start and never found her rhythm. The shot Matthews played before her dismissal was more out of desperation to keep the scoreboard moving. Joseph's dismissal soon after added more pressure on the middle order. Australia's bowlers were outstanding. The Australians adapted quickly once they realised the pitch was offering seam movement. Captain Sophie Molineux kept her pacers on for long spells to make the most of the conditions. Stafanie Taylor's early dismissal without scoring hurt West Indies badly. Deandra Dottin came in lower down the order and batted with an injury. She managed to add some runs towards the end, giving the innings a little boost. But it wasn't enough to change the outcome."

On the tactical errors that cost West Indies:

"Ashleigh Gardner played a smart innings. She found the gaps for boundaries and when the fielders were in place, she took quick singles. She didn't try to overhit. She just rotated the strike and kept the scoreboard moving. Australians are excellent at running between the wickets, and it was clearly visible. Their awareness in the middle is top class. They turned ones into twos and kept the pressure on the fielders. That kind of batting makes a huge difference in a chase. West Indies, on the other hand, made some tactical errors. Their bowling changes were slightly off. Giving Jahzara Claxton the sixth over was a mistake. She leaked 18 runs in that over, which gave Australia the momentum. In a match where every run counts, those extra runs in the powerplay proved costly."

On Beth Mooney's innings:

"Beth Mooney hurts you in so many ways. She is quick between the wickets, but what stands out is how she creates angles. She is always moving around the crease, making it hard for bowlers to settle on a line. Bowlers have struggled to find a way to pin her down. She will dab one for a single, and then the next ball she moves across to the off stump and finds a way to hit you all around the ground. She scored 61 off 36, and it didn't feel like she was going at a crazy pace. That shows you the skill of a high-quality batter who always keeps the game moving. She is so experienced. Having her and the young guns like Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield at the top is a perfect combination for Australia."

On the second semi-final between England and South Africa:

"South Africa are ruthless when it comes to World Cups. They have a strong bowling attack and batters who can handle pressure. Many of their players have also played a lot of cricket in England. Marizanne Kapp herself has had about three-four seasons in the Hundred here on these surfaces. So, they are quite well drilled. They are fighters who don't give up easily. But one thing I will say about England is that I have watched them for a long time, and I haven't seen their batting this organized and this deep. They have power, they have experience, and they have players who can finish games. So, we could be looking at a game like the South Africa-India one that goes right down to the wire. It's tough to call, but I am going to say that England might just pip South Africa."