Introduction of IND W vs AUS W
IND W vs AUS W The Indian women's cricket team took on the mighty Australians in a crucial match during the 2023-24 season. This blog post summarizes the match highlights, key player performances, and final outcome of the intense battle between the two top women's sides.
The Toss and Team Selections IND W vs AUS W
The match was played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat first on what looked like a good batting pitch.
Both teams were unchanged from their previous match. India brought in an extra spinner while the Australians went with their usual seam bowling attack.
India’s Strong Start
Openers Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues gave India a blazing start. They took the attack to the Australian bowlers right from the word go.
Some exquisite boundaries flowed from the willows of the stylish Mandhana while Rodrigues played aggressively. The duo brought up India’s 50 in just 35 balls with some entertaining stroke play.
The Australian Comeback
Just when India looked set for a huge total, the Southern Stars struck back through their captain Meg Lanning’s clever bowling changes. Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland checked the run flow with tight bowling which built the pressure. This led to a middle order collapse with India losing a flurry of wickets. From 92/0, India stumbled to 120/5 as the spinners spun a web.
Deepti’s Fighting Fifty
Deepti Sharma held firm amidst the ruins with a solid half century. She paced her innings cleverly, rotating the strike well and hitting the bad balls for boundaries.
Deepti found an able ally in Pooja Vastrakar as the duo stabilized the innings and took India past the 175-run mark. They added an invaluable 60-run stand before Deepti fell for a well-made 67.
Late Flourish Takes India to 218
Sneh Rana and Radha Yadav provided late fireworks for India smashing a few lusty blows in the death overs. They scored at over 10 runs per over in the last five overs adding some crucial runs. Yadav finished unbeaten on 23 from just 12 balls as India ended with a competitive 218/7 in their 50 overs.
Perry and Mooney Start Strongly
Chasing 219 for victory, Australian openers Beth Mooney and Ellyse Perry started confidently. They played positively, finding the boundaries regularly to keep ahead of the required run rate. Both batters looked set for big scores as Australia reached 78/0 at the end of the powerplay overs. The two on-drives played by Perry off the bowling of Rana were the highlights.
The Spin Twins Strike
Just as Australia looked in complete control, the Indian spinners turned the match firmly in favor of the hosts. Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad sent back both openers as India bounced back.
The two batters perished attempting extravagant shots as the spinners outsmarted them in flight. This double blow slowed down Australia’s momentum significantly.
Lanning Anchors the Chase
Skipper Meg Lanning held one end firm with her composed batting even as India kept chipping away with wickets from the other end. She found an able partner in Tahlia McGrath as the duo stabilized the Australian innings. Both Lanning and McGrath used their feet well against the spinners to pick up boundaries. Just when Australia looked to be getting on top, McGrath was dismissed against the run of play for 32.
A Thrilling Finale
The pendulum swung again in the closing stages with the result hanging in balance. Cameos from Gardner and Sutherland kept Australia in the hunt. But Deepti and Vastrakar’s excellent death bowling denied Australia the boundaries.
Going into the final over, Australia needed an improbable 17 runs with only 1 wicket in hand. Sutherland tried her best with a six off the first ball but eventually perished next ball going for another big shot. India held their nerve to register an exciting 13-run victory. Player of the match Deepti Sharma was the architect of this win with her all-round display.
Conclusion
This see-saw battle kept everyone on the edge of their seats with the momentum shifting constantly between the two champion sides.
India showed tremendous fighting abilities to defend their total against the mighty Aussie lineup. With this victory, the Women in Blue proved they have the potential to challenge the best teams on the big stage consistently.
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