Australia bring out A game

Navi Mumbai, January 7

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Deepti Sharma’s all-round effort went in vain as Australia cantered to a six-wicket win against India in the second women’s T20I to level the three-match series here today.

After India’s frontline batters cut a sorry figure, squandering starts, Deepti made a vital 31 to push the team’s total to 130/8. She then produced a fine spell of 2/22 to delight a nearly-packed house here, but India just did not have enough on the board to challenge Australia.

With 15 needed to win off 12 balls, Phoebe Litchfield (18 not out off 12 balls) struck two fours off the first three balls of the penultimate over from Shreyanka Patil to dash India’s hopes. Playing her 300th international game across formats, the legendary Ellyse Perry celebrated the feat with a fine knock of 34 not out off 21 balls and took Australia over the line with a six to win the game.

“It’s definitely a special privilege. It’s kind of crept up on me in the last couple of days. It’s really made me reminisce. It’s miraculously turned into this career, playing around the world,” Perry said.

Australia knocked off 47 runs from the target in the powerplay with both Beth Mooney (20) and Alyssa Healy (26) facing no difficulties against the Indian bowlers. But Patil took a spectacular diving catch to help get rid of Healy in the eighth over for India’s first success off Deepti. It was Deepti again getting the second breakthrough with Mooney being stumped in the 10th over.

Earlier, with the batters failing to convert starts, India ended up with a below-par total. Smriti Mandhana (23), Richa Ghosh (23) and Jemimah Rodrigues (13) could not capitalise after making promising starts. But Deepti fought till the end.

Kim Garth (2/27) dealt an early blow to India, trapping Shafali Verma (1) lbw and had further success getting an on-song Rodrigues who got off the blocks quickly with three fours. “Absolutely delighted. Not sure I deserve it because Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham bowled really well to tighten the screws. Was good to bowl up top and get the rewards for the team,” Garth, who was named the Player of the Match, said.

The series decider will now be played on Tuesday.

Brief scores: India: 130/8 in 20 overs (Sharma 30, Mandhana 23, Ghosh 23; Sutherland 2/18, Garth 2/27, Wareham 2/27); Australia: 133/4 in 19 overs (Perry 34; Sharma 2/22).