Australia had not made it to the final in 2009, but it took them one attempt to rectify that. The 2013 edition was the third in India, after 1978 and 1997. This time, however, only five grounds – across Mumbai and Cuttack – were used, a significant drop from the 25 in 1997.
India won their first match, against West Indies by 110 runs. Thirushkamini scored exactly 100, India’s first ever hundred in the tournament. But it all went wrong for them from there. They first lost to England, where Katherine Brunt (4-29) trumped Harmanpreet Kaur (107*). And then, chasing 283 against Sri Lanka (Deepika Rasangika 84), they collapsed to 144.
Things had been looking up for India Women. They had finished second in 2005 and beat Australia in 2009. But here, at home, all dreams of creating history came down crashing, as they failed to make it to even the Super Sixes (out of eight teams).
It was not Sri Lanka’s only win in Group A. They had already chased down 239 against defending champions England. They eventually finished second in the group. However, they lost to West Indies by 209 runs, largely due to Stafanie Taylor’s brutal 137-ball 171.
Normal services resumed in Group B, where Australia hardly broke a sweat to win all three matches. New Zealand won their other two matches. South Africa qualified as well, having beaten Pakistan, the only side to finish without a win.
At the Super Sixes, however, a new power emerged. Taylor took 1-32 and held two catches in South Africa’s 230/7. Then she scored 75 to top-score in the chase. Against New Zealand, No. 10 Anisa got a 32-ball unbeaten 31 to take West Indies to 207/9 before returning 8.3-3-13-1, while Tremayne Smartt got 3-39. New Zealand crashed to 159.
But West Indies still needed to beat Australia in their last Super Sixes match to qualify for the final. Deandra Dottin’s 60 helped them reach 164 after they were reduced to 92/7. Australia, 130/4 at one point, collapsed to 156 as Shanel Daley took 3-22 and three batters were run out.
Four days later, Australia avenged their defeat in the final at Brabourne Stadium. After Rachael Haynes (52) and Jess Duffin (75) took them to 259/7, Ellyse Perry (3-19) led the rout to bowl out West Indies for 145.
Final: Australia 259/7 in 50 overs (Jess Cameron 75; Shaquana Quintyne 3-27) beat West Indies 145 in 43.1 overs (Merissa Aguilleira 23; Ellyse Perry 3-19) by 114 runs. Player of the Match: Jess Cameron.
Australia won the World Cup. Player of the Tournament: Suzie Bates.
Most runs: Suzie Bates (New Zealand, 407), Stafanie Taylor (West Indies, 309), Charlotte Edwards (England, 292)
Most wickets: Megan Schutt (Australia, 15), Anya Shrubsole (England, 13), Sian Ruck (New Zealand, 12), Katherine Brunt (England, 12)
ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 XI: Suzie Bates (New Zealand, c), Charlotte Edwards (England), Rachael Haynes (Australia), Stafanie Taylor (West Indies), Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Eshani Kaushalya (Sri Lanka), Jodie Fields (Australia, wk), Katherine Brunt (England), Holly Colvin (England), Anya Shrubsole (England), Megan Schutt (Australia), Holly Ferling (Australia, substitute).