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AUS vs IND, 3rd T20I- Australia seals the series

Australian stars Tahlia McGrath and Beth Mooney helped Australia to win third and the final T20I match by 14 runs at Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast on Sunday.

For the first time in the series, India had won the toss and captain Harmapreet Kaur decided to bowl first. Both the team made changes- Yastika Bhatia was dropped and Harleen Deol was given a chance. For Australia- Annabel Sutherland came in for Hannah Darlington.

India’s Shikha Pandey continued from where she had left in the last match, bowled a maiden over. She kept Australia under pressure in the 1st over itself. In the next over, a poor delivery from Renuka Singh Thakur helped Healy to get off the mark with a four.

However, the very next ball Healy edged and taken by Richa Ghosh. This was the first international wicket of Renuka.

Number two T20I batter in the world, Beth Mooney, smashed Shikha Pandey for three back-to-back fours in the third over.

Australian captain Meg Lanning then punched it through the covers for a 4 off Pooja Vastrakar in the 6th over. Australia were 38 for 1 by the end of the powerplay.

Meg Lanning, who was looking set, added four more runs off Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the 7th over before getting out disastrously. Unlucky Lanning hit the stumps with her own bat and had to depart at 14(14). Meg became the first Australian woman to get out hit wicket in T20Is.

Imperfect bowling length from Harmanpreet Kaur in the 8th over led to back-to-back 3 fours by Beth Mooney. 1st two fours Mooney hammered it to the square-leg and 3rd to the fine-leg. 

Minutes later, Pooja Vastrakar sent Ashleigh Gardner back to the pavilion,  edged and Richa Ghosh took an easy catch in the 9th over.

Deepti Sharma comes into the attack and got Ellyse Perry in the 12th over. Vastrakar took a brilliant catch and Perry had to depart at 8(10). The struggle for Perry’s form in white-ball cricket continues.
Australia was at 73 for 3 at that point.

Tahlia McGrath, who had troubled India in this series with both bat and ball, joined Beth Mooney in the middle and the downfall for India began. Mooney got her 50 in style by hitting a cover drive off Renuka Singh. In-form McGrath smashed 2 fours off Vastrakar in 17th over.

Mooney then smashed it towards the mid-wicket between two fielders for a four. However, in the next ball Kaur dived forward at extra covers and took an excellent catch. It was Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s second wicket as Beth Mooney departed at 61 off 43 balls which induced 10 fours.

In the same over, McGrath smacked Gayakwad for a six straight down the ground and four more runs too.

In the last over, Georgia Wareham hit four off Deepti Sharma and helped Australia with a total of 149 for 5. McGrath stayed not out at 44 from 31 balls. 

While chasing, India lost their 1st wicket in the 2nd over itself. Tayla Vlaeminck took the catch of Shafali Verma at short fine leg and Ash Gardner got her first wicket.

India could not get the boundary for the next two overs. In the 5th over, Smriti Mandhana hits 3 four off Tayla Vlaeminck. 1st two fours came through the square leg region. The third boundary came between the covers. By the end of the powerplay, India was at 28 for 1.

For the next four overs, India only managed to hit 2 fours and both came from Mandhana’s bat.

In the 11th over, Jemimah Rodrigues smashed four before getting out off Georgia Wareham. Jemimah had to depart at 23 off 26 balls.

In the 15th over, Smriti Mandhana hit a four off Nicola Carey to get her half-century before getting out. Lanning took a stunning catch and Smriti went back to the pavilion at 52 off 49 balls which included 8 fours.

Annabel Sutherland came into the attack and got Harmanpreet Kaur in 16th over. India was at 95 for 4. The run rate was 13.75.

Pooja Vastrakar, the hero of the last match was promoted up the order. Pooja hit a four over the extra covers. Unfortunately, the very next ball Carey cleaned her up and India was in massive trouble.

In the 18th over, Harleen Deol, who was playing 1st match of the series was ran out. On the other hand, rhe run rate kept rising. Richa Ghosh was joined by Deepti Sharma in the middle.

Australian bowlers kept India under pressure. Sophie Molineux bowled the 19th over and did not give India a chance to hit a boundary. 36 off 6 was needed and Deepti Sharma had hit a four off Nicola Carey. Richa Ghosh smacked Carey to two back-to-back sixes and a four. Unfortunately, India fell 14 runs short.

Australia won the T20I series and also the multi-format series 11-5. Tahlia McGrath was the player of the match.

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