Indian Women’s team creates history at the MCG

India’s Women cricket team created history at the MCG where their ten-wicket win resulted in their first bilateral series victory over Australia Women in any format. India’s bowling was tight and their work in the field was outstanding after Mithali Raj won the toss and sent Australia in. Australian eves scored 125 for eight in a match reduced to 18 overs due to poor weather. India was 69 for no loss in 9.1 over chasing a target of 66 in 10 overs. Skipper Raj was unbeaten on 37 while Smriti Mandhana was not out on 22.

Jhulan Goswami set things off on a fine note by bowling Grace Harris (0) in the first over of the match and she picked up a second wicket when Beth Mooney (10) lofted over the cover fielder Anuja Patil, who ran back with the flight to complete a brilliant catch that left Australia at 2 for 28. She was the player of the match for taking two wickets for 16 runs in her four overs.

Patil’s sharp fielding again made an impact when she picked up the ball at short mid-on and threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end to find Ellyse Perry (4) short attempting a quick single, and Australia was 3 for 33. While Meg Lanning’s 70-run partnership with Jess Jonassen steadied the innings.

The turning moment was when Jonassen drove straight back down the pitch and the ball clipped the fingers of the bowler, Harmanpreet Kaur, and ricocheted back onto the stumps to have Lanning run out for 49 off 39 balls. Jonassen (27) slog-swept a catch to deep midwicket in the same over that put India in the driver’s seat. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad proved hard to get away and picked up two wickets in an over. India made a fine start to their chase through Raj and Smriti Mandhana and when rain arrived in the eighth over of the chase they were ahead of the D/L target on 0 for 52.

The rain eventually relented but only to allow a further 2.1 overs with India needing a further 14 runs on the re-adjusted D/L score. Raj and Mandhana cruised to victory with five balls to spare. Jhulan Goswami was the player of the match for the visitors.

On January 26, India women pulled off their highest ever chase in Twenty20 internationals, to take a 1-0 lead in Adelaide. India’s best chase was 128 for 7 against New Zealand in Bangalore in July 2015, but Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy ensured that bar was raised by hauling in Australia women’s 140 for 5 with eight balls to spare.

Brief Scores:

Australia Women:  125/8 in 18 overs (Lanning 49, Goswami 2-16)

India Women:  69/0 (D/L) in 9.1 overs (Raj 37*, Mandhana 22*)

Player of the match: J Goswami (India)