Smriti Mandhana came out all guns blazing in the chase of 413 as her 125 off 63 balls set up the chase and she got able support from captain Harmanpreet Kaur who scored a great half-century. But Australia have hit back with quick wickets and now are in control of proceedings having reduced India to 242/5 in 25 overs.
Australia were put under pressure but have managed to find a way to get wickets at regular intervals and in pole position to win this match and the series 2-1 which will be yet another series win for Australia. Can India pull off a miracle? Only time will tell.
Smriti Mandhana’s breath-taking half-century powers India to 96/2 in the first powerplay
Chasing 413 for the win, Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana came out to bat for India while Megan Schutt had ball in hand for Australia. Rawal made her intentions clear as she leaned into the drive through cover point for a boundary. Schutt gifted 5 wides to the batting side. Rawal hit another boundary off Schutt through backward point and cover point.
Kim Garth got the ball from the other end. Mandhana welcomed her by hitting through the gap between cover and mid-off. Mandhana then took the attack to Schutt as she hit her for hat-trick of boundaries through midwicket and then straight down the ground before pulling over square leg for a boundary. Garth then dismissed Rawal for 10 off 12 balls with 2 boundaries to her name as she provided the breakthrough for Australia.
Garth bowled a back of a length delivery outside off-stump, Rawal waited back and looked to place it behind square in the off-side but failed to keep it down. She ended up guiding it straight to Mooney at gully who took a safe catch. Harleen Deol came out to bat next. Garth completed a wicket maiden over.
Ashleigh Gardner was introduced into the attack. Mandhana welcomed her with a maximum straight down the ground. She followed that up with a boundary over wide mid-on for a boundary. Gardner gifted 5 wides as a bonus for the batting side. Deol hit Gardner for a boundary straight back past the bowler. The 50 came up for India in 4.5 overs. Mandhana then targeted Garth by hitting her back-to-back boundaries over mid-off and over extra covers. Mandhana then launched Garth over midwicket region for the maximum.
Mandhana then used her feet and hit Gardner in the gap between deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Mandhana once again drove Gardner through the covers for a boundary as she got to her fifty in 23 balls the fastest by an Indian in Women’s ODI. Deol whipped away Garth for a boundary through forward square leg. Megan Schutt returned to the attack and she got rid of Harleen Deol for 11 off 14 balls with 2 fours to her name.
Schutt bowled a short of a length delivery around off-stump. Deol hung back and pulled it aerially into the leg side. She picked out Mooney at deep backward square leg perfectly who grabbed her second catch of the night. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came out to bat next.
Mandhana got a reprieve when she chipped Garth towards Harris at long-off who put it down. It was a tough chance but should have been taken at this level. Kaur hit a boundary off Garth square of the wicket. Kaur was not done yet as she hit Garth for another boundary through wide of mid-off to end the 10th over and the first powerplay. India have raced away to 96/2 in 10 overs.
Smriti Mandhana & Harmanpreet Kaur drives India forward to take the Women in Blue to 145/2 in 14 overs at Drinks Break
Megan Schutt continued as Kaur hit her by pulling the ball through deep backward square leg and deep midwicket for a boundary, The 100 came up for India Women in 10.2 overs. Mandhana hit her for a boundary guiding it behind square for a boundary through backward point region. Ashleigh Garnder returned to the bowling attack. Mandhana took her on as she stepped out of the crease and got underneath it and hit it inside out over covers for a boundary. Mandhana followed that up with another boundary through deep midwicket who dived but in vain as the ball went to the fence.
Tahlia McGrath came onto bowl next. Kaur then hit McGrath for a boundary. It was a short of a length delivery on the stumps. Kaur pulled it behind square as Mooney ran after it but the ball won the race. Mooney’s right leg touched the ropes as she was busy pulling things back. Kaur hit another boundary off Tahlia McGrath drove it crisply past the diving fielder at covers for a boundary.
Mandhana then took on Gardner to sweep her behind square for a boundary. Smriti Mandhana once again was leading a lone battle. The very next ball, Mandhana pulled it aerially behind square for a boundary. Mooney ran from deep backward square leg ran in and dived forward but it fell just short of her. She failed to stop it from reaching the ropes. Smriti Mandhana got a reprieve once again this time it was Mooney who dropped her catch this time. After 14 overs, India were 145/2 in the chase of 413 as the players paused for the Drinks Break.
Smriti Mandhana & Harmanpreet Kaur complete their respective milestones; Australia hit back with 3 quick wickets
Tahlia McGrath continued after the Break as Kaur smashed her through deep midwicket for a boundary. Alana King came into the attack next. Smriti Mandhana welcomed her with a boundary through the midwicket region. Kaur joined in the fun as she smashed King through the covers for a boundary. McGrath bowled a tight over.
Smriti Mandhana then got to her hundred in style as she launched King by slog sweeping over midwicket for the maximum as she got there in 50 balls. Smriti Mandhana hit another slog sweep into the gap between deep midwicket and deep backward square leg for a boundary. Smriti Mandhana next hit McGrath for a boundary through backward square leg. The 100-run stand came up between the captain and vice-captain.
Grace Harris came into the attack next. Kaur welcomed her with a boundary through the backward point region as the ball raced away to the fence as Kaur reached her fifty in 32 balls. Mandhana got a full toss and deposited it over midwicket for the maximum. The 200 came up for India in 19.3 overs. After 20 overs, India were 204/2. Kim Garth returned to the attack and gave away 2 wides to the batting side. Here, there was a pause in play as Harmanpreet had to get treatment and this allowed Australia to regroup too.
Straight after the break, Garth struck getting rid of Kaur for 52 off 35 balls with 8 fours to her name. Garth bowled a good length delivery pitching a shade outside off and angled straight back in. Kaur looked to go for the pull shot without moving her feet and got trapped in front. The ball hit her back thigh pad. Appeal was given. Kaur reviewed in hope and saw three reds and burnt a review for India. Deepti Sharma came to the crease next and got off the mark straightaway.
Smriti Mandhana hit Garth for a boundary through third man. Deepti got the outside edge through to third man for a boundary. Grace Harris then gave India the hammer blow as she removed Smriti Mandhana off a dipping full toss for 125 off 63 balls with 17 fours and 5 sixes to her name. Harris from around the wicket bowled a full toss around the waist height. Smriti Mandhana looked to repeat the pull she hammered for a maximum earlier but mistimed off the bottom of the bat and found the deep square leg fielder. Gardner made no mistake. Richa Ghosh came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary through a drive through the covers and extra covers.
Deepti launched Garth for the maximum over wide long-on. King came back into the attack as Richa was then unfortunately run out at the bowler’s end for 6 off 6 balls with a boundary to her name. Radha Yadav came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Georgia Wareham came into the attack finally. She bowled a decent first over from her end as India reached 242/5 in 25 overs at the halfway stage of the chase.
What Lies Ahead.
India were brilliant off the blocks and were ahead after the first 20 overs. But Australia have pegged things back with 3 quick wickets and now with the score at 242/5 in 25 overs chasing 413 for the win, this is Australia’s game as India lacks a middle order batter. We expect Australia to win as India have to bat out of their skins to win this contest. Let’s see how this game unfolds in the second half of the chase. India up against it.
Also Read: IND-W vs AUS-W: Beth Mooney’s Majestic Ton Powers Australia To 412