Reigning champions India will defend their ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup title after beating England in the semi-finals by nine wickets.
Although the final margin of victory was comprehensive, this was the hardest they have been pushed with England flying out of the blocks after electing to bat.
Davina Perrin smashed 45 runs before India’s slow bowlers pulled things back and restricted England to 113 for eight.
Parunika Sisodia chipped in with two wickets in an over and took three for 21 in all, with Vaishnavi Sharma taking three wickets of her own in just four balls.
England’s total was not enough, with Gongadi Trisha (35) and G Kamalini (56 not out), marshalling the comfortable chase.
Having won a rematch of the first final, India will now face South Africa in the final, after the Proteas beat Australia by five wickets in the first semi-final.
India’s spinners pull it back after England get off to flyer
England dealt exclusively in boundaries early on, the openers putting on 37 in four overs as Perrin and Jemima Spence (9) used the pace of the quick bowlers to hit fours at will.
Sisodia’s introduction slowed them, as she bowled Spence with her first ball before Trudy Johnson followed suit two balls later for a duck.
That brought Norgrove to the crease – she and Perrin observed initially before going after the spinners, both hitting sixes off Sharma. They added 44 in as many balls before Aayushi Shukla got the crucial wicket of Perrin for 45, finding a way through her defences.
That proved the turning point, with Shukla removing the other set batter in Norgrove in her next over with England now 86 for four with six overs remaining.
The spinners sensed an opportunity, and Sisodia picked up her third wicket, bowling Katie Jones around her legs for a duck.
Sharma got in on the act with three wickets in four deliveries and suddenly England were in all sorts of trouble at 92 for eight.
Amu Surenkumar (14 not out) and Tilly Corteen-Coleman (7 not out) came together for the final four overs adding 21 to take England to 113 for eight from their 20 overs.
Openers fire India to comfortable chase
India’s chase started strongly, with three boundaries off the second over as Kamalini and Trisha played with ambition.
They brought up the half-century stand in the eighth over, with England desperately in need of a wicket. It finally came with 60 on the board, Phoebe Brett getting through the defences of the in-form Trisha to remove her for 35. Kamalini almost followed in the next over, but Norgrove’s diving effort just touched the ground, giving the opener a reprieve.
Kamalini and Sanika Chalke (11 not out) batted sensibly, picking up singles with the odd boundary, helped by a pair of wides that raced past everyone for four.
With the finish line in sight, Kamalini stepped things up, with back-to-back boundaries off Brett taking her to a half-century.
And it was only fitting that she hit the winning runs, lifting the ball over midwicket to the boundary to seal it with five overs to spare.
South Africa continue unbeaten run to reach final
In the final, they will take on South Africa, who continued their perfect run at this tournament with a five-wicket win over Australia.
Ashleigh van Wyk impressed with the ball, taking four for 17 to restrict the Australians to 105 for eight from their 20 overs, despite Caoimhe Bray scoring 36.
They chased that down with 11 balls to spare, Jemma Botha smashing 37 and skipper Kayle Reyneke chipping in with 26 with Australia never able to bring the required rate enough to make it close.
Scores in brief
Australia v South Africa – Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur
Australia 105 for eight in 20 overs (Caoimhe Bray 36, Ella Briscoe 27 not out; Ashleigh van Wyk 4/17, Nthabiseng Nini 1/18)
South Africa 106 for five in 18.1 overs (Jemma Botha 37, Kayla Reyneke 26; Lucy Hamilton 2/17, Hasrat Gill 2/20)
Result: South Africa won by five wickets
England v India – Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur
England 113 for eight in 20 overs (Davina Perrin 45, Abi Norgrove 30; Parunika Sisodia 3/21, Vaishnavi Sharma 3/23, Aayushi Shukla 2/21)
India 117 for one in 15 overs (G Kamalini 56 not out, Gongadi Trisha 35; Phoebe Brett 1/30)
Result: India won by nine wickets
CloudFrenzy
Wilfred Rhodes was the oldest cricketer who played for England.
Elder Pogue
When it was first mentioned in 1624, the cricket bat was not a bat but merely a stick, similar to the one used in hockey. In the 1770s after changes in the game’s laws, a swell was designed at the bottom. It was, however, very heavy. The oldest preserved cricket bat was made in 1729 and is kept in Oval’s Sandham Room in London.