Potchefstroom (South Africa), Jan 27: Opener Shweta Sherawat smashed an unbeaten fifty after Parshavi Chopra's triple strike as India notched up a comprehensive eight-wicket win over New Zealand to storm into the final of the inaugural Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup here on Friday.
India restricted New Zealand to 107 for nine with Parshavi (3/20) leading a disciplined bowling effort after skipper Shafali Verma won the toss and elected to bowl in the first semifinals.
The 16-year-old leg-spinner broke the backbone of the Kiwi batting line-up with three successive wickets to leave them at 74 for 5 in 13th over.
Titas Sadhu, Mannat Kashyap, Shafali and Archana Devi also scalped one wicket each.
For NZ, Georgia Plimmer (35), Isabella Gaze (26) and Izzy Sharp (13) and Kayley Knight (12) reached double figures as they struggled to score runs at the Senwes Park.
Chasing 108, the women in blue romped home comfortably after Sehrawat produced a scintillating 45-ball unconquered knock which was studded with 10 hits to the fence.
Following the early exit of Shafali (10), who has not performed as per expectations in the tournament, Sehrawat and Soumya Tiwari (22) added 62 runs to take them to the threshold of victory.
Sehrawat and Gongadi Trisha (5) then completed the job with the former bringing up the winning runs with a four off Browning as India scored 110 for 2 in 14.2 overs.
Parshavi was adjudged the Player of the Match for her three-wicket haul.
India will face the winner of the other semifinal between England and Australia.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand Women: 107 for 9 in 20 overs (Georgia Plimmer 35; Parshavi Chopra 3/20).
India Women: 110 for 2 in 14.2 overs (Shweta Sherawat 61; Anna Browning 2/18).
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New Delhi (PTI): Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag is set to be fined 25 per cent of his match fee for bringing the game into "disrepute" after being caught vaping on camera during the IPL game against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.
Parag's actions during the Royals' chase on Tuesday night drew condemnation on social media.
PTI has learned that on field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon had not reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma right after the game. They only did that after seeing visual proof and Sharma found Parag guilty for a code of conduct breach as per the IPL guidelines.
The Level 1 offences carries 25 per cent deduction from match fees and one demerit point.
"He is set to be fined a portion of his match fees and a demerit point for a Level 1 offence," said an IPL source.
The Indian government had banned e-cigarettes back in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a Rs one lakh fine for a first time offence.
"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the IPL Code of Conduct states.
"By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
"When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered.
"Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)."
Since it is a Level 1 offence there was no need for a hearing.
Parag, who has not had the best of times with the bat this IPL, was seen inhaling an e-cigarette, also known as vaping, in the dressing room during the live broadcast of their game against Punjab Kings. Royals won the game to end Kings' unbeaten run in the tournament.
This is not the first controversy to hit the Royals this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs one lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout.
IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the IPL termed it as a careless act in the age of social media and prying TV cameras.
Royals next host Delhi Capitals at home on Friday night.
