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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 score 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, alongside the experienced Ellyse Perry, helped the Aussies overcome the early loss of captain Alyssa Healy. Litchfield smashed 119 runs off 93 balls, including 17 fours and three sixes, achieving a strike rate of 127.95. ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: India Vs Australia, Semifinal – Live Score She continued her impressive performance against India, having amassed 627 runs against them in nine innings at an average of 69.66, with two centuries and four fifties, her highest score being 119. Remarkably, she has never been dismissed for less than 25 runs by India in women’s ODIs. Litchfield has now joined the elite 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 Australian 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 Australian to achieve a century in a women’s World Cup. IND Bowl Out AUS India bowled out Australia for 338, which is the highest total by any team in a Women’s World Cup semi-final. surpassing South Africa’s 319 against England in the first semi-final of the ongoing tournament. Phoebe was happy forer her own record but happier for her team’s effort with the bat. “It was awesome for the personal milestone, but I think as a team perspective, it’s awesome to get over that 300 mark and put a competitive total on the board,” Phoebe Litchfield said at the mid-innings interval. “I think just assessing the wicket, getting myself in, and then taking down the spinners when they put a ball in my area. But I think credit also goes to Pez (Perry) down the other end, keeping me going. And yeah, I think a full team effort there to get to 330 or whatever we got to,” she added. “I think we would have taken that (338) at the start of the day, but probably left a few runs out there towards the back end. But I was really pleased to get over the 330 mark,” Phoebe said. More to follow…
