Smriti Mandhana shines as India-W humble Australia-W in lopsided 1st T20I

It was finally a ray of sunshine for the Indian women’s cricket team as they went on to humble Australia in the first T20I of the series, registering their eighth win in the shortest format of the game against the mighty Aussies. With the caravan shifting to Navi Mumbai, the Indian women found renewed hopes through a revamped bowling unit that bowled Australia out for 141.

Winning the toss, India opted to bowl. Despite a decent start from Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, Titas Sadhu drew first blood for India, removing the latter for 17. Healy didn’t last long either as she fell to RCB’s ace quick, Renuka Singh who forced her to play straight down the throat of Harmanpreet Kaur for eight.

Sadhu struck again in quick succession as she removed Tahlia McGrath for a duck while adding another feather to her cap, removing Ashleigh Gardner for a golden duck as well. The following partnership between Phoebe Litchfield (49) and Ellyse Perry (37) saw Australia rebuilding, much to the visitors’ glee.

Amanjot Kaur’s introduction in the middle overs took away the bridge that was being built by Pez and Litchfield as she removed the latter. An incoming Grace Harris didn’t last long either with Shreyanka Patil trapping her before the stumps for a solitary run. Sadhu came back to add another scalp to her tally with Annabel Sutherland’s brief resistance meeting an abrupt end while Deepti Sharma finally got the better of Perry.

Australia were skittled out for 141 as Sadhu was the pick of the lot with figures of 4/17 while Patil and Sharma claimed four wickets between them.

Chasing 142, Team India came out roaring as Shafali Verma took over the reins of an aggressor while the RCB skipper, Smriti Mandhana, hammered another well-orchestrated fifty to get the Indian juggernaut rolling.

What looked like a surface riddled with bowling voodoo in the first innings turned out into a featherbed for the Indian batters as they navigated the track without breaking a sweat. Mandhana smashed 54 from 52 balls before eventually falling to Wareham while Verma stayed unbeaten for 64.