MUMBAI: India defeated Australia in the Super Over by four runs in a nail-biting encounter at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai today.
A match that ebbed and flowed saw a dramatic finish with the Women in Blue edging the Aussies in the second T20I to level the five-match series 1-1.
India scored 20 runs in the Super Over while the Australian batters could only manage 16 runs.
Pacer Renuka Singh held her nerves to defend 20 runs, ensuring India clinched the match. Smriti Mandhana unleashed a flurry of strokes to help India reach 20/1 in the Super Over.
India were on the money from ball one as they batted superbly to tie Australia’s target, forcing the Super Over. Mandhana top-scored for India with a blistering knock of 79(49) balls while a late flourish from Richa Ghosh ensured India didn’t fall short.
Put into bat, Australia batters beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath stitched yet another ruthless 100-run plus partnership to propel their team to 187/1.
Chasing the target, India got off to a blazing start as Indian openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana came out all guns blazing, eager to stamp their authority and help India level the series.
They put their foot on the accelerator right from the word go as they looked to make full use of the fielding restrictions. Mandhana struck three boundaries in the second over to set things in motion for the Indian team.
Ellyse Perry’s eventful fifth over saw Shafali smashing two boundaries and her catch being dropped by Megan Schutt. India took eight runs from the sixth over to end the powerplay at 55/0.
The opening pair shared a 76-run first-wicket stand inside nine overs to put India in a commanding position. Shafali was dismissed by Alana King for 34(23) in the ninth over.
Heather Graham got rid of Jemimah Rodrigues in the next over to find an opening in the game. India were 81/2 at the end of 10 overs.
India captain Harmanpreet wasted little time and switched to attacking mode, smashing Ashleigh Gardner for a six and a boundary with her signature slog sweep.
Left-handed Mandhana took a leaf out of her skipper’s book and smashed Alana King for a six and a four to bring up her fifty in style off just 37 balls. She dealt with Megan Schutt in the same fashion to bring the equation down to 61 from the last six overs.
The left-hander smashed another six off Graham in the 16th over, which also saw the fall of the wicket of the India captain. Harmanpreet scored 21(22) before getting dismissed.
India needed 46 off 24 balls when Annabel Sutherland came on to bowl the 17th over.
Mandhana launched her for a six in the over, which was filled with twists and turns as India lost the left-hander shortly after.
The dismissal of Mandhana brought Richa Ghosh to the middle, who smashed another monstrous six in the over.
Ghosh smoked two more sixes in the next over to bring the equation down to 18 off the last two overs. India seemed to be cruising to a victory but the wicket of Deepti Sharma in the 19th over brought the game back in the balance.
In an eventful over, India scored two boundaries through Devika Vaidya to tie the game as the Women In Blue got 13 runs off the over, forcing a Super Over. Smriti Mandhana was declared the Player of the Match for her brilliant knock.
Brief Score: India 187/5 (Smriti Mandhana 79, Shafali Verma 34; Heather Graham 3-22) beat Australia 187/1 (Beth Mooney 82*, Tahlia Mcgrath 70*; Deepti Sharma 1-31) (ANI)