India within one win of historic gold
Australia dominate Commonwealth Games
BIRMINGHAM, England, Aug 6, (AP): India’s women cricketers are within one win of an historic gold medal after defeating host England by four runs in a thrilling Commonwealth Games semi-final on Saturday.
After posting 164-5 in the Twenty20 format, its biggest score in the tournament, India restricted previously unbeaten England to 160-6 at Edgbaston.
It is the first time women’s cricket has been played at the Games and backers are hopeful a successful tournament will lead to the sport’s inclusion at future Olympics.
More than 160,000 tickets were sold prior to the semi-final, a new record for a women’s cricket tournament, and another sizeable crowd attended Saturday’s match.
Opener Smriti Mandhana hit 61 in 32 balls to set the tone for India in its innings.
England captain Nat Sciver, who has called for women’s cricket to be included in the Olympics, top-scored with 41 in her team’s reply before being run out with less than two overs remaining.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said: “I am really happy. Everyone is coming in and performing for the team. (The fans) were cheering until the last ball. It was a great opportunity for all the players to perform.”
India will play Australia or New Zealand in Sunday’s final. England will meet the loser of that match in a bronze medal playoff.
On the track, India’s Avinash Mukund Sable bagged India’s firstever medal in a long-distance event.
Although beaten by just 0.05 seconds in the 3,000 meter steeplechase by Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot, who clocked 8:11.20, the 26-year-old runner felt encouraged by his silver medal-winning performance.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
“My last lap was a bit disappointing but I am really happy,” Sable said.
India’s Priyanka Goswami also picked up a silver in the women’s 10,000-meter walk.
After failing to win gold on Day 8, they came in a rush for table-leading Australia on Saturday morning.
Ollie Hoare claimed a last-stride triumph in the 1500 meters in 3:30.12, becoming Australia’s first champion in the event since Herb Elliott triumphed in Cardiff in 1958.
He beat world champion Jake Wightman of Scotland, who led into the home straight before finishing third behind Hoare and Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot.
Australia also picked up golds in lawn bowling, gymnastics, walking and diving to stretch its lead over England after the host nation had closed the gap to three the previous day.
A week after the Lionesses became the pride of England for winning the Women’s European Championship, their compatriots in field hockey are hoping for their own historic moment in Birmingham.
England has claimed a women’s hockey medal in the six previous Commonwealth Games but gold has proven elusive. A thrilling victory over New Zealand in the semifinals has given the English another chance to end the drought. They will face four-time champion Australia in Sunday’s final.
Their success is a bonus for Commonwealth officials who have placed an emphasis on highlighting women’s sport, with a priority on three major team finals to be staged on Sunday.
Ticket sales for women’s sports in Birmingham have also been strong.
A member of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Board, Agbeze led England to a gold medal in Australia four years ago and is delighted by the prominence given to women’s sport throughout the 12-day competition.
England’s hockey team have done their part. With Maddie Hinch tending goal superbly, the hosts edged defending champions New Zealand 2-0 in a penalty shootout at the University of Birmingham to reach the decider.
Both teams were held goalless in regular play but Hannah Martin was able to secure the victory by scoring England’s second goal in the shootout from four attempts.
Hinch said she thrived on the pres
sure of goalkeeping and believes Sunday presents an opportunity for her team to show young girls again why field hockey is exciting to play and watch.
In other highlights, India enjoyed success in wrestling when Deepak Punia, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik all claimed gold medals.
Malik, who won the women’s 62-kilogram class, said the support provided by the strong Indian community who live in Birmingham helped her succeed.
She edged Canadian Ana Godinez Gonzalez in the final.
“It was amazing to have a crowd presence of this kind,” she said. “At the Tokyo Olympics, there weren’t many Indians … so for a wrestler, it’s amazing to have that presence.
“And then to be trailing at one point and to come back, the crowd played a huge part in getting me to where I wanted to be, which was right on top of the podium.”
George Miller became the oldest Commonwealth Games gold medallist when, at the age of 75, he acted as the director for visually impaired Scottish bowler Melanie Inness.