INDIA is the first team through to the Commonwealth Games Cricket Gold Medal match, after the nation defeated England by four runs in the semi-finals. It was all off the back of a stellar Power Play from the Indians, and with the spinners laying the pressure late the win was theirs.

India elected to bat first, and it certainly paid off with a monster Power Play. Mostly off the bat of Smriti Mandhana, the Indians made 0/64 off their first six overs, and were one stage looking at a score of over 200 runs. They did not quite reach that target but still put a very competitive 5/164 on the board. Mandhana’s 61 was top score, while Jemimah Rodrigues made 44 not out.

Meanwhile for the English it was Freya Kemp, who was the one who got the first break through after that awful start with the ball by the English, who was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets.

England had a start just as positive as India’s was but it did not last as long. After losing Sophia Dunkley in the third over and usual rescuer Alice Capsey, England found itself at 2/63. Danni Wyatt was finally looking like she was putting together a solid score before she was dismissed, but then Natalie Sciver and Amy Jones put together a 54 run partnership to steady the English ship back on course.

England needed 33 off the last four, but then India’s spinners got to work and started heaping the pressure on. It came down to the last over. England needed 15 runs, but could only manage 10 as the Indians took the win. Sciver was the top scorer for the English with 41, while Wyatt ultimately made 35.

Sneh Rana kept cool under pressure late to pick up two wickets and be the star for India with the ball. The win sees India through to the Gold Medal Match to face world champions Australia, while England will battle New Zealand for bronze.