IND-W vs AUS-W Scorecard, 1st T20I Highlights: Shafali, Smriti, Titas Shine As India Women Crush Australia Women By 9 Wickets

After the Test and the ODI series, it’s now time for the T20I series between India Women and Australia Women. The first match of the three-match series between teams took place at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. The hosts won the toss and opted to first.

India women were off to a great start with the ball and their decision to field first paid off. Beth Mooney (17) and Alyssa Healy (8) opened for Australia and they added 28 runs for the opening partnership before Titas Sadhu provided her side with the breakthrough in the 4th over.

In the very next over, Renuka Singh removed Australia skipper Alyssa Healy before Titas Sadhu chipped in again and sent Tahlia McGrath and Ashley Gardner packing for ducks. This left Australian women tottering at 33/4. It was when Elyse Perry (37) and Phoebe Lichfield (49) joined hands and bailed their side out of trouble.

They added 79 runs for the partnership that brought Australia back on track. Based on their solid performance with the bat, the visitors posted a total of 141 runs on the board in the first match of the series.

India women managed to take all the 10 wickets with Titas Sadhu being the pick of the bowlers. She returned with the figures of 4/17 whereas Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil also grabbed two wickets each. Apart from them, Renuka Singh and Amanjot Kaur also bagged one wicket each.

IND-W vs AUS-W: India Women Chase Target With 9 Wickets In Hand; Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana Shine With Bat

India women off the rollicking start in the chase. Both the openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana batted beautifully. It didn’t even once look like they struggled as such was their class with the bat as they put opponents under tremendous pressure.

Shafali Verma in particular was the wrecker-in-chief behind the carnage. She attacked Australian bowlers right from the start and didn’t let them come into the game even once. She played some magnificent shots and made sure she took revenge of the ODI series.

Verma batted with a strike rate of around 150 and hit fours and sixes in her innings. She ended with the knock of unbeaten 64 runs off 44 balls. She batted with a strike rate of 145.45 and slammed 6 fours and 3 sixes in her innings. Her stupendous innings didn’t let the opposition get in the game for a bit.

Smriti Mandhana on the other hand, supported her well. She too played her shots occasionally but made sure that she held the one end. The senior batter ended with the knock of 54 runs off 52 balls. She batted with a strike rate of over 103 and also slammed 7 fours and 1 sixes in her innings.

Shefali Verma and Smriti Mandhana added 137 runs for the opening partnership and almost sealed the game for their team. After the latter was back in the hut, Jemimah Rodrigues (6*) did the unfinished job and took her team home with 14 balls to spare. India women won the game by 9 wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Brief Scores: Australia Women 141/9 (Phoebe Litchfield 49; Titas Sadhu 4/17)
India Women (Shafali Verma 64*: Darcie Brown 1/10)