Shafali Verma gives Beth Mooney huge spray in World Cup semi-final

Australia were cruising in their World Cup semifinal before this massive blow-up turned the game on its head.

Australian batter Beth Mooney has copped a massive spray from Indian superstar Shafali Verma, who took a simple catch to end Mooney’s destructive half century that set up the Aussie women for a seventh consecutive T20 World Cup final.

Two overs prior, Verma had dropped Mooney at long-on off the bowling of Radha Yadav, barely even having to move for the ball and taking it casually at waist height before spilling the catch, no doubt frustrating the 19-year-old.

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The second time around, Verma made no mistake, taking a straightforward catch off a Mooney cut, and exploding in response.

Verma aggressively motioned towards the pavilion, shouting what appeared to be a common Hindi expletive often favoured by Virat Kohli.

Shafali Verma remembering two-time World Champion Ben Stokes to motivate her team. What a gesture! 😍#INDWvAUSW#CricketTwitterpic.twitter.com/YvWHNkzmTm

— Himanshu Pareek (@Sports_Himanshu) February 23, 2023

It would prove to be too little, too late for the Indians however, with the Aussies getting up in a thriller.

India have not defeated Australia in T20 internationals since their astonishing upset at the 2020 World Cup, and with 172 on the board, a score never chased down in a Women’s T20 World Cup, the pressure was completely on the Indians, who have never won any silverware before.

Beth Mooney (R) set up a seventh consecutive World Cup final for the Australians . (Photo by Marco Longari / AFP)

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur took India deep into the second innings off the back of some pressure mistakes from the Australians, but Mooney’s first-innings brilliance would prove to be enough to hold off a fast-finishing Deepti Sharma.

“We had no right to win it,” player of the match Ash Gardner admitted.

“They were cruising, and then we found a way to get some wickets. We scrapped. We fought hard right to the end.”

Speaking after the game, a visibly upset Kaur spoke of her huge disappointment of failing to win a game that had seemed in India’s grasp.

“Can’t feel unluckier than this,” she said.

“We got the momentum back… to lose from there, we weren’t expecting this. The way I got run out, can’t be unluckier than that.

“Putting the effort was important and we were happy to go to the last ball. We wanted to fight until the last ball.”

Australia will defend their crown on Sunday against either England or South Africa.

Originally published as Shafali Verma gives Beth Mooney huge spray in World Cup semi-final