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Ellyse Perry was all guns blazing as Australia women humbled India by seven runs in the fourth T20I at the Brabourne stadium on Saturday (December 17) to clinch the five-match series with one game to spare.
Perry took Indian bowlers to cleaners with a fiery 72 off 42 to help Australia post a challenging 188/3. In reply, India fought hard but were reduced to 181/5 in their stipulated 20 overs. Harmanpreet Kaur (46 off 30) and Richa Ghosh (40 not out off 19) did launched a fightback but couldn't save India from going down the the champions side.
For the Women in Blue, Deepti Sharma snared two wickets while Radha Yadav grabbed one wicket after Harmanpreet decided to bowl first. Australia had earlier won the first and third T20Is while India emerged victorious in the second match.
Perry continued her dream comeback as she smoked four sixes and seven fours in her 42 run knock to power Australia to a big total batting first while, Australia's skipper Alyssa Healy retired hurt owing to calf injury after scoring 30 runs.
India were teetering at 49/3 when they needed 105 from 54 balls. And then walked in the India's skipper Harmanpreet. The 33-year-old pummelled Heather Graham left, right and centre as she smashing her for four boundaries from five balls in the 13th over to garner 17 runs to rekindle India's chances in the chase. But in that pursuit Harmanpreet's fighting knock came to an end at the score of 46 when India needed 68 runs off last 34 balls when Richa walked in.
The equation boiled down to 38 off last 12 deliveries, Richa blasted Heather Graham for two successive maximums and followed it up with a four.
But Megan Schutt showed her experience as she had 20 runs to defend in the last over in which she conceded just 12 to tilt the match in Australia's favour yet again.
After Healy (30 off 21 balls) got retired hurt after straining her calf muscle while trying to pull Deepti Sharma, McGrath led the side, while Beth Mooney took charge of the keeping the wickets. Australia were struggling at 46/3 after Tahlia McGrath was removed by Radha Yadav in the seventh over. But unwavered by the Healy's absence, veteran all-rounder Perry started her blitzkrieg in course of her second straight half century.
She paired with Ashleigh Gardner and stitched 94 off just 59 balls to seize the momentum from the 12th over onwards. Gardner smoked three sixes and as many boundaries to lend Perry a perfect support. After the dismissal of Gardner in the 17th over, it was Grace Harris who took on the assault as she clobbered a quick-fire 27 not out off 12 balls in which she hammered a six and a four to punish Indian bowling attack.
Meanwhile, the fifth and the final T20I match will be played on Tuesday and Harmanpreet's India will look to end the series on a high.
