India women beat Australia in T20I series after 10 years:Mandhana, Rodrigues, bowlers lead Women in Blue to victory in series decider

The Indian women’s team defeated Australia by 17 runs in the 3rd T20I of the three-match series at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, 21 February. With this victory, India won the three-match series 2-1. This was just the second time that India women beat Australia in a bilateral T20I series with the first one coming in 2016. India won the first T20I match by 21 runs (DLS method) in Sydney, while Australia had made a comeback in the second match, registering a victory by 19 runs against the Women in Blue. Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues fifties took India to 176/6 Opting to bat first, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues struck half-centuries to help India post 176/6. Mandhana struck her 70th half-century in international cricket and ended up with a solid 82 off 55 deliveries with eight fours and three sixes to her name. Jemimah Rodrigues hit a 46-ball 59, a knock that included four fours. Mandhana and Rodrigues also stitched a 121-run partnership, which powered India to what was the highest total of the series so far. For Australia, Annabel Sutherland was the best bowler with two wickets for 34 runs. Bowlers script victory for India The second innings was a pretty eventful one. The Indian bowlers put Australia under early pressure, reducing the hosts to 32/3 at one stage. Ellyse Perry, featuring in her landmark 350th match, was clean bowled by Shreyanka Patil for just one run. Ashleigh Gardner kept Australia in the chase with a solid 57 off 45 balls, hitting five fours and one six. But India ended her fight with Jemimah Rodrigues pulling off a sensational catch at deep midwicket in the 16th over. The next over, bowled by N Sree Charani, tilted the game totally in India’s favour, with two wickets. First, it was Grace Harris who was dismissed hit-wicket after she accidentally kicked her own stumps while playing a shot. And off the fifth ball of the over, Charani got rid of Australia captain Sophie Molineux, who was trapped LBW. Ellyse Perry becomes first Australian woman to play 350 international matches Although she had a disappointing time in the series decider, Ellyse Perry etched her name in history by becoming the first Australian woman to play 350 international matches. Perry had made her international debut at the age of 16 against New Zealand on 22 July 2007 and had become the youngest to play for the Australian women’s cricket team. The 35-year-old veteran cricketer is now just third in the list of most appearances in international cricket, behind Harmanpreet Kaur (357) and New Zealand’s Suzie Bates (355).