T20I Tri-Series: Clinical Australia Women Beat India In Tournament Opener

The Australia women's team displayed an all-round performance to beat India women's team by six wickets in the first match of the women's Twenty20 International (T20I) tri-series in Mumbai on Thursday. Put into bat, India scored 152/5 in their 20 overs. India opener Smriti Mandhana, who scored 67 runs off 41 balls, was the highest scorer for India. Smriti and Mithali Raj strung together a 72-run partnership that gave the hosts a strong platform to put a competitive total on board. But the middle-order batswomen could not rise to the occasion and failed to contribute with the bat.

Anuja Patil scored 35 runs off 21 deliveries lower down the order to help add some quick runs to the Indian innings.

Ashleigh Gardener and Ellyse Perry starred with the ball as they shared four wickets between them. Delissa Kimmince also bagged a wicket as she dismissed Anuja in the last ball of the 19th over.

In reply, the Australians overhauled the total with 11 deliveries to spare.

Australia suffered an early jolt when opener Alyssa Healy was bowled by veteran Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami in the very first over.

Jhulan put the visitors in a spot of bother at 29/2 when she castled Ashleigh in the third over.

However, opener Beth Mooney and Elyse Villani added 79 runs between them to bring the Australian innings back on track.

Beth was the highest scorer for the visitors with 45 runs off 32 balls before being dismissed by Jhulan in the 13th over.

Elyse, who scored 39 runs off 33 balls, followed Beth back to the pavilion just six deliveries later when she was caught and bowled by Poonam Yadav.

However, the Australians were well in sight of victory by then. Skipper Meg Lanning scored 35 runs off 25 balls to finish the job in style.

Jhulan finished the match with figures of three for 30.

Brief scores:

India: 152/5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 67, Anuja Patil 35; Ashleigh Gardener 2/22, Ellyse Perry 2/31)

Australia: 156/4 in 18.1 overs (Beth Mooney 45, Elyse Villani 39, Meg Lanning 35; Jhulan Goswami 3/30).

(With IANS inputs)