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Australian opener Phoebe Litchfield made history for her team during the ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal against India, becoming the youngest player to hit a century in a Women's World Cup knockout match and the second-youngest centurion for Australia in the tournament's history.
After Australia elected to bat first at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium, Litchfield, along with an experienced Ellyse Perry, helped the Aussies overcome the early loss of captain Alyssa Healy, smashing 119 in 93 balls, with 17 fours and three sixes. Her runs came at a strike rate of 127.95. She continued her golden run against India, having scored 627 runs against them in nine innings at an average of 69.66, with two centuries and four fifties and a best score of 119. She has never been dismissed for below 25 by India in women's ODIs. She has joined the company of skipper Healy (170 against England in the 2022 WC final and 129 against WI in the 2022 semifinal) and Karen Rolton (107* against India in the 2005 edition final) as the third Aussie to score a century in a 50-over World Cup knockout match. At the age of 22 years and 195 days, she is the second-youngest Aussie to have a century in women's WC. Coming to the match, Australia is well past the 220-run mark and three wickets down and will be aiming for a 300-plus score. Teams: India Women (Playing XI): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh(w), Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur Australia Women (Playing XI): Phoebe Litchfield, Alyssa Healy(w/c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt. (ANI)
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