3 months ago
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Aiming to found an unassailable pb implicit Australia, Harmanpreet Kaur's India would gully assurance from a beardown bowling show successful the rain-hit opening triumph erstwhile the 2 sides quadrate disconnected successful the 2nd and penultimate T20 International successful Canberra connected Thursday (February 19, 2026).
It was a commanding show from seamer Arundhati Reddy, whose four-wicket haul rattled the hosts and spearheaded a superb bowling effort arsenic Australia were incapable to bat retired their 20 overs and were bundled retired for a below-par 133.
The bowlers enjoyed a coagulated workout arsenic the agelong series, besides featuring 3 ODIs and a 1 disconnected Test, unfolded.
On the batting front, lone openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma managed meaningful clip successful the mediate arsenic rainfall played spoilsport and the lucifer was decided by the Duckworth-Lewis System, leaving the remainder of the batting portion perchance a interaction under-prepared.
But fixed India's formidable batting line-up and the information that astir of the players featured successful the recently-concluded Women's Premier League, determination is small interest astir a nonaccomplishment arsenic they transportation ample crippled clip into the contention contempt the rain-affected opener successful Sydney.
India volition erstwhile again slope connected a blazing commencement from Shafali, the standout performer successful past year's World Cup last against South Africa, and Mandhana's charismatic batting, followed by Jemimah Rodrigues.
Rodrigues singlehandedly knocked Australia retired of the World Cup with a match-winning period nether investigating conditions successful the semifinals.
With the Women's T20 World Cup successful England aboriginal this year, the gruelling bid present serves arsenic a formal rehearsal for the planetary tournament, and clinching the three-match T20I rubber volition springiness India a important head-start against the world's astir palmy team.
The show of pace-bowling stalwart Renuka Singh, who bowled 4 miserly overs and claimed 2 wickets, was encouraging.
Together with Arundhati, the duo accounted for six wickets — a immense boost for India, which has traditionally relied connected the rotation duo of Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani for success.
Australia, led by caller skipper Sophie Molineux, volition beryllium anxious for revenge and to level the series. However, determination would beryllium immense unit connected their star-studded apical bid featuring immoderate of the biggest names successful satellite cricket, including Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, and Ashleigh Gardner.
The corporate illness of the location side's batting defies logic, with six players managing single-digit scores and Georgia Wareham topping the charts with conscionable 30 runs.
While rainfall and bedewed conditions whitethorn person played a portion successful Sydney, Australia, renowned for thriving astatine home, produced a amazingly disappointing performance.
Molineux volition beryllium anxious to asseverate herself successful the enactment relation and beryllium herself arsenic a worthy successor to the legendary Alyssa Healy.
Teams
Australia: Sophie Molineux (c), Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Bharti Fulmali, Kranti Gaud, Richa Ghosh (wk), Gunalan Kamalini, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma.
Match starts 1:45pm IST.
