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Indian women’s cricket team created history on February 21 as they registered a hard-fought 2-1 series win against Australia. In the series-decider third T20I at the Adelaide Oval, the Women in Blue successfully defended their total, defeating the hosts by 17 runs. The win was anchored by a commanding 176/6, powered by Smriti Mandhana’s 82 and Jemimah Rodrigues’ 59, before the bowlers restricted Australia to 159/9.
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India women end decade-long wait with 17-run win over Australia
This win marks a historic milestone, as it is only the second time India has ever claimed a bilateral series victory over the Australians. The last time India achieved this feat was exactly a decade ago in 2016, under the leadership of Mithali Raj. Notably, that series was also contested on Australian soil and ended with 2-1 in favor of the visitors.
The 2016 tour followed a remarkably similar trajectory to this year's success. Ten years ago, the Indian side stormed into the lead by winning the opening match by five wickets and sealing the series in the second game with a 10-wicket victory via the DLS method. Although the Australians managed a 15-run win in the final match to prevent a clean sweep, India’s dominance throughout the tour remains a cherished chapter in the team's history.
Shreyanka Patil shines, Ashleigh Gardner's fifty in vain
Chasing a target of 177, Australia’s innings faltered early as India’s opening attack made immediate inroads. Shreyanka Patil and Renuka Singh Thakur dismantled the top order within the first four overs, removing Georgia Voll, Beth Mooney, and the legendary Ellyse Perry, who was notably playing her 350th international match. This initial burst left the hosts reeling and struggled to find any early momentum.
Phoebe Litchfield and Ashleigh Gardner attempted to reconstruct the chase with a 31-run partnership, but the recovery was short-lived. Litchfield fell in the ninth over after a breezy 26, leaving Australia at 63/4 at the halfway mark. With 99 runs still required from the final 10 overs and only six wickets remaining, the pressure continued to mount on the home side.
The visitors maintained a tight grip on the game, illustrated by an 11th over that yielded just three runs. In an effort to break the shackles, Georgia Wareham and Gardner managed to find the boundary, briefly shifting the momentum. However, Arundhati Reddy struck a crucial blow in the 13th over, dismissing Wareham just as she began to look dangerous.
Ashleigh Gardner reached a defiant half-century with a boundary in the 16th over, but her departure shortly after effectively signaled the end of Australia’s realistic hopes. With Gardner gone and the score at 129/6, India’s bowlers remained clinical. Australia managed to add 30 runs in the closing stages but lost three more wickets, eventually finishing on 159/9 and handing India a historic 17-run victory.
Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues crack fifties in India's win
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, India’s innings hit an early snag when opener Shafali Verma was dismissed in the third over. She was caught at mid-on after a sharp delivery from Kim Garth, departing for just seven.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically as Jemimah Rodrigues joined vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. The pair stitched together a dominant 121-run partnership for the second wicket, effectively taking the game away from the hosts. Mandhana and Rodrigues capitalized on the powerplay restrictions, punctuated by a three-boundary assault in the sixth over that propelled India to a strong 54/1 by the end of the first six.
As the field spread, the duo displayed impressive maturity, balancing aggressive boundary-hitting with smart strike rotation. Mandhana was particularly clinical, reaching her half-century with a six off 38 balls. She continued her onslaught with a flurry of boundaries before eventually being caught at deep midwicket off the bowling of Annabel Sutherland in the 17th over, having amassed a brilliant 82.
Rodrigues reached her own fifty shortly after, taking 41 deliveries to get there. Richa Ghosh then provided a late spark, contributing a quick-fire cameo that included two fours and a six. Despite the strong foundation, Australia managed a disciplined late squeeze, taking four wickets in the final two overs and conceding only 13 runs which saw India posting a total of 176/6, which was too much for the Australians in the end.
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