AUS vs IND- 2nd T20I Report
Tahlia McGrath helped Australia win the 2nd T2OI by four wickets at Carrara Oval, Queensland on Saturday. The hosts also won the multi-format (AUS vs IND) series 9-5.
Australian Captain Meg Lanning won the toss and gave India a chance to bat first. Indian openers, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma smashed a couple of boundaries off Tayla Vlaeminck in the first T20I. However, Vlaeminck improved her lines and got both the openers out in this match. Mandhana in the very second ball of the 1st over was caught by Nicola Carey. In the third over, Verma played a rash shot and was caught by Hannah Darlington at 3(7)
In the 5th over, Harmanpreet Kaur hit two back-to-back fours off Tayla Vlaeminck. Jemimah, who scored unbeaten 49 runs in the 1st abandoned T20I match, was not able to recreate that innings, unfortunately, was caught by Hannah Darlington off Sophie Molineux. Australia got three crucial wickets in the powerplay. India was at 25/3.
Harmanpreet scored 3 fours in Perry’s over. The moment India thought they are back in the game, Kaur, who was in excellent touch, was stumped by Alyssa Healy off Georgia Wareham.
That is when the horror show began for the Indians. Poor communication between youngsters Yastika Bhatia and Richa Ghosh led to the run out of Bhatia. Later, Richa Ghosh was clean bowled by Nicola Carey in the 12th over. Also, there was another terrible mix-up happened between Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar. Both the all-rounders ended up being at the same end. However, Deepti was given out.
In the same over, Shikha Pandey was bowled out by Ashleigh Gardner. Renuka Singh Thakur was clean bowled by Sophie Molineux. From 25 for three in the powerplay, they went down to 78 for nine in the 17th over.
With just three overs remaining, Pooja Vastrakar played a heroic knock with the help of Rajeshwari Gayakwad. In the last over, Pooja smashed two fours and one six. Vastrakar and Gayakwad put on a 37 run partnership which became 2nd highest 10th wicket partnership in T20Is (Women’s). Vastrakar stayed not out at 37 from 26 and Gayakwad at 0 from 4 balls. India finished their innings at 118 for nine. Australia needed 119 to win.
Shikha Pandey, who was benched in this whole series was finally given a chance to play in the T20I series. On the first ball of the 1st over, Australian opener Alyssa Healy smashed Pandey for a four. However, the very next ball Shikha bowled an unplayable delivery that bowled Healy out. That ball by Shikha Pandey will go down in the history books as one of the greatest delivery. 2nd over was a maiden over by Renuka Singh Thakur. What a great way to start an international career!
Meg Lanning and Beth Mooney kept rotating the strikes. By the end of the powerplay, Australia was at 33 for one. Rajeshwari Gayakwad gave India a breakthrough by taking Lanning’s wicket in the 7th over. Indian captain decided to bowl the 8th over and got Gardner’s wicket. At the start of the 10th over, Deepti Sharma got Ellyse Perry’s wicket, caught brilliantly by Harmanpreet Kaur. Australia was down to 53 for four.
India, with their poor fielding, dropped a couple of catches. Mooney and McGrath started to build up the partnership that is when Gayakwad got big fish Mooney in 14th over. Gayakwad got Nicola Carey in 17th over.
Tahlia McGrath, who was playing her 2nd T20I, scored unbeaten 42 runs which included 6 fours, McGrath played some wonderful cricketing shots. Nevertheless, helped Australia win the second T20I and the multi-format series with one T20I match remaining. India’s overall bowling performance was phenomenal, it was the batting and poor fielding that had cost India this match.
Feature image: Getty Images
