India ended Australia’s 26 game-winning streak after clinching a last over victory. Australia batted first and clicked on 264 runs courtesy of a late push by Gardner and McGrath. Indian batters began brilliantly and after a brief waywardness towards the middle of the innings, the lower-middle order saw through the target.
For Australian women, Alyssa Healy and Perry made 35 and 26 respectively at the top of the order but the Silver Stars suffered a collapse, losing four for 87. Beth Mooney hit 52 runs. Ashleigh Gardner headlined Australia’s innings playing an impressive innings of 67 off just 62 balls.Then later, Tahlia McGrath chipped in with seven boundaries to reach 47 off 32 balls leading the home side to 264. Goswami and Vastrakar took three wickets each.
For India, Shefali Verma and Smriti Mandhana pieced together a 59 runs opening partnership before a superb running catch by Sutherland removed Mandhana off Ashleigh’s Gardner delivery. Then Yastika Bhatia and Shefali Verma put on the biggest partnership of the match, compiling 101 runs. Then Molineux clean bowled Verma, Sutherland had Richa Ghosh caught while Strano’s superb catch saw the back of Yastika.
At that point, Indians needed 86 off 16 overs with six wickets in hand. Once again, the Australian bowlers clipped a couple of wickets and reduced India to 208/6 with Mithali Raj’s being bowled by Sutherland. Then Deepti Sharma dug in for 31 runs innings before McGrath got rid of her and India still required 24 runs with 3 wickets in hand.
This is where Sneh Rana struck three boundaries in a row with five overs to go to reduce the margin and had done her job before getting out 6 runs short of the target. Jhulan and Meghna Singh saw India through with just three balls to spare.
Shefali made 56 runs, Yatika made 64, while Sneh Rana’s 30 runs off 27 balls played a crucial part in the win. Indian batters have now lodged clinical back-to-back batting performances. Jhulan Goswami won Player of the Match for her 3 wickets after conceding just 37 runs. Australia won the series two-one but someone finally pierced through their streak.
