MUMBAI: India’s young pacer Titas Sadhu revealed a tradition of giving a party to teammates by the player who wins the Player of the Match award following the hosts’ victory over Australia in the first T20I on Friday.
Sadhu spearheaded India’s attack against a star-studded batting lineup. She removed the dangerous trio of Beth Mooney (17), Tahlia McGrath (0) and Ashleigh Gardner (0) from the powerplay. McGrath’s six-ball duck and Gardner’s golden duck came in the final over of the powerplay.
Sadhu’s exploits with the ball were recognized as she won the Player of the Match award. After receiving the accolade, she talked about the tradition that has been going withing the team.
“This has been a tradition now that whoever wins this award will have to give a party. Since I have won 3 awards tonight (chuckles), I have 3 due. It has been a long series for me, I have been sitting out during Test and ODI series. I am happy to capitalize today. I was lucky I got two wickets in the second over and it was a good wicket to bowl on. The dew is a big factor here”, Sadhu said after the game.
Coming to the match, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma played a near-flawless innings as their 137-run opening stand helped India chase down the target with 15 balls to spare at the DY Patil Sports Academy here. With this victory, India went 1-0 up in the three-match series.
While chasing a target of 142, Smriti and Shafali neutralized the threat carried by Australian pacers Megan Schutt and Annabel Sutherland in the powerplay. The steadfast batters paced their innings according to each delivery and sent the bad ones away for a boundary.
Both teams will square off in the second T20I on Sunday at the DY Patil Sports Academy. (ANI)