MUMBAI (Reuters) -India ended Australia's title defence and booked their place in Sunday's women's World Cup final against South Africa after Jemimah Rodrigues smashed an unbeaten 127 to secure a sensational five-wicket victory in the second semi-final on Thursday.
Opting to bat, Australia racked up 338 all out with opener Phoebe Litchfield (119) providing them a flying start and Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner chipping in with fifties at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
When the teams returned, Rodrigues produced a majestic knock that included 14 fours to help India pull off the biggest successful chase in women's ODI history with nine balls to spare.The outcome means a new ODI world champion side will emerge on Sunday.
"It just feels like a dream and it's not sunk in yet," player-of-the-match Rodrigues, who was in tears after their victory, said after anchoring India's nervy chase.
Seven-time champions Australia had accomplished a record chase in a 661-run humdinger against India in the league phase of the tournament and they racked up another big total against the same opponents after electing to bat in the rematch.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy got an early reprieve when India counterpart Harmanpreet Kaur spilled a catch at mid-off but the batter could not capitalise on it and dragged the ball onto her stumps to depart for five.
Litchfield raced to a 77-ball century during a 155-run stand with Perry that took Australia to 159-1 at the halfway stage of their innings.
Litchfield was on 102 when India wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh spilled a catch and the batter hit spinner Deepti Sharma for back-to-back sixes to rub salt in India's wound.
Her 93-ball knock, which included three sixes and 17 fours, came to an end when she attempted a cheeky scoop shot against Amanjot Kaur and lost her middle stump.
India claimed quick wickets to apply the brakes but Gardner (63) took Australia past the 300-mark before they were all out with one delivery left in their innings.
Shafali Verma (10), replacing India's injured in-form opener Pratika Rawal, could not impress on her return but their chase was truly jolted when Smriti Mandhana, their leading scorer in the tournament, fell after a run-a-ball 24.
A 167-run stand between Rodrigues and Harmanpreet (89) put India's chase back on track.
Annabel Sutherland denied Harmanpreet a hundred but Rodrigues was spilled when the batter was on 82 and again on 106, which proved costly in the end.
"We did not finish with the bat well, did not bowl that great, dropped chances in the field," Healy rued.
"We can take something out of that, but ultimately outdone in the end."
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
