AUS-W vs IND-W 2nd T20I Commentary - Canberra (19 February 2026)

Tossed up, fuller and around off, Kranti Gaud plays with an angled bat to point.

Floats it full and on middle, comes with the angle. Kranti Gaud comes down and slams it hard, over leaping Sophie Molineux and to long off for a run. 

OUT! GONE! Straight down the throat! Keeps it full and onto the stumps, no pace offered from Molineux again. Sree Charani dances down and launches it to long on but in the hands of Ellyse Perry, who takes a simple catch. 

This is full and around off, it's driven to long off for a single.

SIX! Well, that goes all the way! Touch fuller, slanting around off, Kranti Gaud skips down and hammers it over long off. Just over Ellyse Perry for a six.

FOUR! Australia Women win by 19 runs. A couple of late blows but the Aussies see it through! Too full and on middle, Kranti Gaud again uses her feet as she slams it down the ground, between long on and long off for four runs.

Fuller ball, sliding on the pads. Kaur clips it to deep square leg for a single.

OUT! GONE! Straight to the keeper! A skiddy fuller delivery, around off. Arundhati Reddy steps across to lap it away but edges it to the keeper, Beth Mooney, who stands right behind the line and gobbles it up quickly. Four wickets in three overs.

JUST SHORT! Overpitched, well outside off. Kranti Gaud leans and drives away from her body but slices it to the right of short third. The fielder puts in a full stretched dive but it falls short.

Back of a length, around off, pace off. Kaur pats it back to the left of the bowler.

On a good length, on off, Kaur punches it to cover.

OUT! CASTLED! It's all happening quickly. Fires it full and attacks the stumps. Amanjot Kaur uses the crease and steps across to paddle it away but misses it completely and it crashes into the stumps. 

An arm ball, flat and angling on leg. Kaur gets on her knee and sweeps it behind square leg for a run.

Almost chipped back! Richa Ghosh gets undone by the pace as Ashleigh Gardner delivers it slower in the air, fuller and around off, Ghosh taps it uppishly to Ashleigh, who picks up on a bounce.

OUT! STUMPED! Australia pick up yet another big wicket. Great anticipation from Ashleigh Gardner as she senses Ghosh would use her feet, with the required run rate climbing up and pushes her fuller delivery wide of off. Ghosh comes down and flashes hard but misses. The keeper, Beth Mooney, collects the ball and clips the bails off in a flash.

Slightly short and on middle, Deepti Sharma pulls it straight to square leg.

OUT! TAKEN! Two wickets in the over for Ashleigh Gardner. Gardner nicely tosses it up on middle, slower in the air with little pace behind it. Deepti Sharma is a bit too early with her shot and chips it to long off. Annabel Sutherland runs in and takes a simple catch.

Looped up, fuller delivery on middle, Arundhati Reddy flicks it wide of long on and comes back for the second.

A chance missed by Mooney! A good length delivery on middle, nipping in. Kaur gives herself room as she tries to go downtown but misses and the ball whizzes past the leg pole. Beth Mooney, standing up to the stumps, fails to gather the ball as it pops out of her gloves. The UltraEdge shows that the ball grazed the toe end of the blade. How costly will this prove?

Takes pace off, does Garth as she serves it on the fuller side and on middle, Kaur adjusts late and taps it back to Garth. Well bowled again.

FOUR! Ah, streaky and India have been riding their luck lately. Keeps it full and around off, Kaur goes inside her crease and swings wildly but manages a thick inside edge, past the leg pole and to the fine leg fence.

Drops a half-volley, pace off and around off. Kaur lifts it over covers for a brace. Pushes hard for the second and makes it.

OUT! TAKEN! There's the wicket Australia were looking for. A slower delivery in the slot, just outside off. Harmanpreet Kaur fails to get the desired elevation as he gets underneath, looking to hit over extra cover. She mistimes her shot to extra cover, where Sophie Molineux takes a sharp catch, inside the ring to her left. India Women need 38 runs in 19 balls.

Serves it full and on middle, Amanjot Kaur nudges it to deep mid-wicket for a single. 

FOUR! Good start to the over from India's point of view! Pushes it full and outside off. Richa Ghosh goes inside-out, aerially over cover and bags a boundary.

Pace off, fuller delivery on off, Richa Ghosh sweeps it to deep square leg for a single.

FOUR! Kaur hits one now! Flat, touch short and around middle, Kaur picks the arm ball as she skips down and flat bats it to long off. Just wide of the fielder there for four more.

Pushes for the wide line from over the wicket. Harmanpreet Kaur manipulates the field by stepping across. She sweeps it to the right of deep square leg for a brace. 

Tossed up, fuller and on leg. Harmanpreet Kaur drills it down to long on for a single.

A dot but 12 runs off the over. Fuller, straighter on the pads, it was there to be hit but Richa Ghosh fails to paddle it away. 

Leg bye! Full and angled into the pads, Ghosh clears the front leg and has a swipe across the line. She fails to lay any bat on it and the ball goes off the pads on the off side. They cross.

Full and at the sticks, Kaur has a big swing at it but miscues it off an inside edge to deep square leg for one.

Tucking the batter up for room, on a short of a length. Ghosh hops and glances it to short fine leg for one more.

Nice change of pace! Takes pace off, on a good length, outside off. Harmanpreet initially winds up to flash at it but does not pick the slower one. She adjusts to angle it away but is beaten on the outside edge.

Nearly chopped it on! Pace on now, skidding through, on a good length, around off. Harmanpreet Kaur looks to force it away but gets an inside edge and the ball drops beside the off stump before rolling behind.

Outstanding stuff from Sutherland! Back-of-the-hand slower one, on a back of a length, on off. It spins back in and Kaur can only stab it down. Just 3 runs off the over. India need 56 runs from 30 balls.

Short and outside off, Richa makes room to thrash it away on the off side but misses.

FOUR! Another streaky boundary for Ghosh. Fractionally short, outside off, Ghosh moves away from the stumps and tries to slap it away. The ball flies past the keeper off an outside edge and races away for a four.

Around off, on a nagging length, Ghosh hammers it to point, where the fielder dives to her right to make a half-stop. They cross.

Harmanpreet Kaur is safe! Fuller and pushed through, outside off, Kaur collapses her back knee and looks to go inside out. The ball sneaks past the outside edge and Beth Mooney whips the bails off in a flash. The third umpire is called into action. The replays show that Kaur's back leg did get dragged out but she managed to slide it back inside the crease in time.

Short and on middle, Harman tugs it in the vacant mid-wicket region for a single.

On a length, on middle, Ghosh pulls it through square leg for just a single.

Short and on off, Kaur steps out and gets on top of it before punching it to cover.

Short and sliding on with the arm, on middle. Harmanpreet nudges it to wide long on for a run.

Speared in, fractionally short, on middle. Ghosh backs away and flat bats it to long on for one.

Just short! On a nagging length, on middle. Kaur charges down the track and swings through the line. She does not time it well and that actually saves her. Annabel Sutherland comes charging in off the ropes at long on but the ball drops in front. They cross.

FOUR! Not convincing, but Ghosh will take it! Flat and short, on off, Richa stays leg side to force it away on the off side. The ball brushes the toe end of the blade and goes fine of short third for a boundary.

Fuller and on middle, Ghosh slog sweeps it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket. Single taken. India need 66 runs in 42 balls.

FOUR! Oh, that could have gone anywhere, but Kaur gets lucky! Full and drifting onto the pads, Harmanpreet presses forward for the flick but the ball holds a touch in the surface. A leading edge is found but it flies over backward point. Georgia Voll gives it a chase and dives to push the ball away from the fence. The ball makes contact with the ropes and then Voll manages to flick it back in. A boundary.

Wide! Sprayed down leg, on a length, Harman lets it go.

Full and on middle, Harmanpreet pushes it to the left of long on and scampers through for a quick single.

Leg bye! At the hips, on a back of a length, Ghosh hops to shovel it away. She does not connect and a leg bye is taken as the ball goes behind off the pads to the left of the keeper. Beth Mooney knocks the stumps down with her throw but Harman is well in.

On a good length, on the off stump, Kaur angles it from the crease to backward point.

A strange review from Australia! On a length, shaping back in, on middle and leg. Kaur brings her bat out in front. She is beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the front pad. The batters cross for a leg bye as the ball drops on the leg side. A polite enquiry from Beth Mooney while the bowler did not even appeal. Sophie Molineux takes the opinion of the keeper and takes the review. The UltraEdge shows no bat and the Ball Tracking has the ball going past the leg stump, with even the impact being umpire's call.

Fuller and on off, Ghosh firms the drive but picks out Phoebe Litchfield at cover.

Pushed through, short and on middle. Kaur hops back and jabs it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Flat and short again, on middle. Richa pulls it to mid-wicket, where Sophie Molineux tumbles to her right to make the stop. Just a single.

FOUR! Hammered! Floated up, a bit too full, on off, Harmanpreet gets her hands through the line of the ball and drills it between cover and mid off for a four. First boundary in 30 balls for India.

FOUR! One brings two for India! This is dropped short, on off, Harman waits on the back foot and cuts it late to pierce the gap between short third and backward point for four more.

On the fuller side, on off, Kaur drops it with soft hands beside the strip on the off side and takes a quick single.

Not that short for the cut, skidding through, outside off. Richa flashes but is beaten as the ball goes under her bat. A productive over for India after a long time. 11 runs off it. The Women in Blue need 82 runs in 54 balls.

Fires it full and in line of the stumps. Harmanpreet Kaur helps it to deep backward square leg for a run.

Pitches it up, tailing onto the pads. Smriti Mandhana plays with the angle to deep square leg and runs across.

Very full and on middle, dips right near the batter. Kaur digs it out past Garth's dive, to her right and the fielder at mid on runs to her left to stop it. A single.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Oh, Australia weren't too confident with the appeal, but they have a wicket out of nowhere. Angles a length delivery down leg. Smriti Mandhana hangs back to clip but seems to miss it. Kim Garth puts up an appeal, and Beth Mooney, the keeper, joins her, but it is turned down. Australia think of a review, and Sophie Molineux takes her chance by going for the review on the final second. The replay loads. UltraEdge shows a spike as the ball brushes the bat. Smriti has to go. 

Surprises with a bouncer, outside off. Richa Ghosh looks to cut it away but misses. Good take by the keeper, standing up the stumps.

Touch fuller and around off, Richa Ghosh pushes it back to Garth.

Slower in the air, length and around off, Rodrigues punches it to cover.

OUT! GONE! India lose another wicket in quick time. A straighter, fuller, pace off delivery, around off, Rodrigues uses her feet to slog-sweep, but with no power behind it, she fails to get enough distance on it. She skies it up to wide long on, where Annabel Sutherland runs across to her right and holds onto the skier. 

Tossed up, full and on middle, Harmanpreet Kaur drills it down to long on for a single. She is off the mark.

Drops it full and drifting onto the pads. Mandhana clips it late to fine leg for a single.

Tossed up, outside off, turning in sharply. Harmanpreet Kaur pats it back to Ashleigh.

Gets it to turn in a long way, touch short and Harmanpreet Kaur whips it across as she moves inside her crease. It rolls to mid-wicket for a run.

Pushes it full and on middle and leg. SM gets inside the line and tucks it to mid-wicket for a run.

Back of a length, outside off. Rodrigues steers it to third man for a single.

Annabel Sutherland keeps it short and bowls it on the bodyline. Smriti pulls it to deep square leg for one more.

A mix-up but no harm done! Touch shorter and on middle, Rodrigues gets on her toes as she pulls but splices her shot wide of mid-wicket. Rodrigues runs but Smriti Mandhana is ball-watching. However, a little fumble allows them to cross.

Shorter delivery on middle and leg, pulled behind square leg for a single.

Not a great shot on that length. Rodrigues steps across to lap it over and Annabel Sutherland drags her delivery, it gets big on Rodrigues but she manages to get it behind the keeper. A run. 

Fractionally short, outside off. Smriti Mandhana stays back and hoicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Tosses it up, fuller and outside off. Verma skips down but doesn't reach the pitch of the ball as it was pushed slower through the air. Verma toe ends her shot to long on for a single.

Flatter trajectory, around off, Smriti Mandhana turns it to mid-wicket for a single.

OUT! LBW! Sophie Molineux gets the breakthrough. Hang on, Verma has a word with Mandhana and opts for the review. It seems in line with the stumps. UltraEdge shows no bat involved. Ball Tracking shows THREE REDS. Verma goes and takes a review as well. Sophie nicely floats it up, attacking the sticks. Verma shuffles inside her crease and tries to sweep but misses, wearing it on the pads. It was straight enough to hit the stumps. The 57-run opening partnership is broken. 

Very full, following the batter on the leg side. Rodrigues punches it down to long off for a single.

Tossed up on middle. Smriti Mandhana clips it to square leg and keeps the strike. 

Annabel Sutherland starts with a fuller delivery in the blockhole. Verma digs it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Shafali Verma joins the boundary-hitting party! Pitches it up, outside off. Shafali Verma frees her arms and hammers it over mid off, high and into the fence. 50 up for India inside the Powerplay.

FOUR! It's raining boundaries! Annabel Sutherland keeps it full and wide. Verma doesn't go for power but instead places it wide of point for a boundary. Clever batting.

Annabel gets her line close to the off pole, pace off and on a length. Verma keeps it out on the off side.

Oh, that could have gone anywhere. A bumper, into the surface and on middle, stays low off the surface. Verma hangs her bat up as she ducks under it. The ball hits the blade and rolls onto the leg side.

Three dots to end the over. 8 runs off it. On a good length and around off, tapped back to the bowler. India are 54/0 at the end the Powerplay.

Just out of reach! Full and angling away from the left-hander, Smriti Mandhana gives the bowler the charge and tries to fight the angle by going across the line. A leading edge is found and it goes over cover-point. Phoebe Litchfield turns around and goes after it but the ball evades her. Mandhana comes back for the second run as the ball bounces and goes away from Phoebe.

FOUR! Threads it through! Darcie Brown goes full in search of swing but dishes out a full toss, on off. Mandhana does not try to overhit this one and just whips it between mid-wicket and mid on for a four.

FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for Mandhana. Pace off ball by Brown at 81 kph, full and on off. Mandhana presses forward and pauses her bat swing for a bit after picking the slower one. She waits for the ball to arrive and firms the drive to the left of mid off for four more.

Good comeback by Brown! Drags the length back, cutting across the left-hander. Mandhana flashes at it but the ball is a bit too close for the cut. Gets beaten on the outside edge, does Smriti.

FOUR! Put away with disdain! Too short, too wide by Brown. Smriti reaches out, gets on top of the bounce and slaps it through covers for another boundary.

Closer to the off stump, on a hard length, punched off the back foot to cover. 14 runs off the over!

Wide! Garth delivers it on a back of a length, going down leg. Mandhana pivots on the back foot for the pull but fails to connect.

Across off, on a good length, Mandhana hits it on the up to the right of mid off for a single.

Garth hits the top of off, Verma stays leg side of the ball and angles it to backward point.

Shorter and wider on off, Shafali slaps it hard square on the off side. Georgia Wareham gets around to her left and mops it up. Another brace for Verma.

A bit too short, outside off, Shafali stands tall and cuts it behind square this time. It was hit away from Georgia Wareham, but the batters stayed content with one.

Good stop! From around the wicket, attacking the front pad, on a short of a length. Smriti goes deep in the crease and tickles it to short fine leg. Darcie Brown dives to her left and saves a certain boundary.

Keeps it on a back of a length, on middle. Mandhana turns it square on the leg side and keeps the strike with a single.

Full and moving away in the air, this is guided with an open bat face to backward point.

FOUR! Smriti Mandhana is up and running! Carey drops it short, outside off. Mandhana swivels on the back foot and hammers the pull through mid-wicket for a boundary to get going.

Slightly fuller, shaping away, on off. Smriti extends her hands and plays a punchy drive to cover.

Going across the left-hander again, on a length. Smriti walks down the track and reaches out to go over the top on the off side. This comes more off the bottom half of the blade but she manages to clear extra cover. Two runs taken.

Dug in short, outside off, Smriti walks across the stumps and gets her hands high to pull it in front of square for a single.

Wide! Full and pushed down leg, Verma misses out on the glance.

Curving back in, on a good length, on middle and leg. Verma backs away but does not manage to get the desired room. She ends up stabbing it down on the off side.

Brown gets away with it! Short and wide on off, shaping away. Verma stands tall and slaps it hard but cannot beat the fielder at cover-point.

On a back of a length, outside off. A loose poke from Shafali without any footwork and she is beaten on the outside edge.

FOUR! A poor ball and Verma cashes in! On the shorter side, angled in at the hips. Verma gets on her toes and tickles it down to deep fine leg for a boundary.

Pushes the length up, on off, Verma crunches the drive but she picks out the extra cover fielder.

Wide! Verma moves away from the stumps and Brown tries to follow her with a hard-length delivery. It is sprayed down leg and Shafali lets it be.

Brown bowls it into the surface, following the batter. Shafalia backs away and steers it to backward point.

FOUR! Nice adjustment from Verma! This is fuller at the sticks by Brown. Shafali makes room by moving towards the leg side once again but she picks the slower ball. She waits on it and punches it past point for a boundary. 2500 T20I runs for Shafali. A couple of 9-run overs to start the chase.

Verma and India are underway! Flighted delivery, full and on middle. Shafali charges down the track and has a heave across the line. Gets a top edge but it drops safely in the vacant deep square leg region. Shafali opens her account with a couple.

Shorter and on middle, Verma tucks it to mid-wicket.

FOUR! Streaky! Floated up, on off, Shafali makes room and gets down the track. She swings to down the ground but the ball catches an outside edge and flies past short third for a four.

Drifting in, full and on off, Verma jumps out of the crease again and lofts it over wide mid off. Not from the middle but enough to clear the infield. Two more for Shafali.

Flatter and shorter, on middle. Shafali hops back and pulls it through mid-wicket for a single.

Skidding through, short and on off, Smriti cuts it to point, where the fielder dives to her left and parries it towards the cover fielder. 9 runs off the first over of the chase.