Australia rounded off the multi-format series against India with another victory as they bagged the series with 9 points to 5. Meg Lanning’s women defeated India by 14 runs in the third T20 international at the Metricon Stadium on October 11.
Tahlia McGrath was once again the star for the hosts with her unbeaten 44 off 31, helping Australia reach a competitive total of 149/5. In the bowling department, Nicola Carey claimed two wickets while Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham and Annabel Sutherland picked one each to restrict India Women 14 short of the target.
As it happened, the flip of the coin landed in India’s favour as Harmanpreet Kaur elected to field first. Australia yet again were forced on the backfoot early in the innings with Alyssa Healy caught behind on 4.
Meg Lanning and Beth Mooney added 39 runs before the Aussie skipper hit the stumps, playing a cut shot to walk back on 14. Gardner (1 off 5) and Ellyse Perry (8 off 11) failed yet again as the hosts were reduced to 73/4 in 11.1 overs.
The McMooney duo once again came to the rescue, adding 44 runs for the fifth wicket. Mooney’s outstanding knock of 61 off 43 came to an end in the 18th over, courtesy of a fine catch by Kaur.
McGrath and Wareham (13 off 8) added 32 runs in the last 16 balls to take Australia to 149/5. Rajeshwari Gayakwad picked 2/37 while Renuka Singh, Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar picked one each conceding less than 6 rpo.
Chasing 150, India didn’t get off to a good start as Shafali Verma hit a long rank hop from Gardner straight to short fine leg in the second over. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues played rather conservatively, adding 57 runs in nine overs before Rodrigues (23 off 26) was caught at long off.
The equation was 58 off 32 balls with eight wickets in hand. But Mandhana, who scored 52 off 49, was dismissed in the 15th over with a superb running back catch by Lanning. Harmanpreet joined her in the next over, finding Lanning at cover off Sutherland on 13 off 16.
Vastrakar and Harleen Deol were dismissed in quick succession as India were reduced to 102/6 in 17.1 overs. 48 required off 17 balls was always going to be a daunting task. Richa Ghosh hammered Carey for two sixes and a four in the last over and showed what she’s capable of, albeit in vain.
Brief Scores
Australia Women – 149/5 in 20 overs (Mooney 61, McGrath 44; Gayakwad 2/37, Singh 1/23)
India Women – 135/6 in 20 overs (Mandhana 52, Ghosh 23*; Carey 2/42, Sutherland 1/13)
Australia Women won by 14 runs.
