All-Round India Crush Australia In 3rd T20I To Seal Historic T20I Series Down Under

India beat Australia by 17 runs. [Source - @bcciwomen/x.com]

India Women delivered a dominant display to defeat Australia Women by 17 runs in the 3rd T20I at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, February 21. With a clinical all-round performance, they not only sealed the match in style but also clinched the three-match series in style.

Here, we take a look at the complete highlights of the third T20I between India Women and Australia Women as the action unfolded in Adelaide.

Smriti Mandhana Leads India’s Recovery After Early Jolt in Commanding Batting Display

After electing to bat first, India Women had a shaky start as Shafali Verma fell early inside the powerplay, failing to get going. Smriti Mandhana too struggled initially, with Australia using the surface pace and big boundaries smartly, until Jemimah Rodrigues counterattacked.

Rodrigues injected momentum with a flurry of boundaries, easing the pressure on Smriti Mandhana. The left-hander gradually found her rhythm and began timing the ball sweetly. India recovered strongly to finish the powerplay at 54 for 1, shifting the early momentum.

Carrying that surge forward, Mandhana dominated the middle-overs with crisp boundaries and occasional big hits, completing her fifty. She denied Australia any chance to build pressure, guiding India past the 100-run mark inside 12 overs as the innings gathered pace towards a strong total.

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Clinical Death-Over Surge Lifts India to 176 for 6

Sensing the danger, Australia brought their captain back into the attack in a desperate wish to stop the carnage. However, Mandhana continued to score, finding gaps and clearing the ropes as India built momentum steadily towards a powerful finish in the slog overs.

With Mandhana in full flow at the start of the death overs, India looked set for a massive total. But attempting to accelerate further, she found Ashleigh Gardner in the outfield to bring her innings to an end. Her dismissal opened the door briefly, giving Australia a glimmer of hope.

However, Richa Ghosh then produced a stunning 7-ball 18 cameo, keeping the onslaught going. Jemimah Rodrigues, who had played second fiddle to the 121-run partnership with Mandhana earlier, struck crucial blows to reach her half-century as India finished with 176 for 6 in 20 overs.

Shreyanka Patil Stars with the Ball as India Seal Epic Decider

Chasing 177, Australia got off to a poor start, losing both openers inside the powerplay. Shreyanka Patil removed Georgia Voll, the star from the second T20I, before castling Ellyse Perry, reducing the hosts to 44 for 3. India’s disciplined bowling applied constant pressure and ensured Australia never settled in the chase.

Phoebe Litchfield attempted to anchor the innings while Ashleigh Gardner fought through a slow start. The Australians got a couple of partnerships with Georgia Wareham joining in later, raising hopes of a comeback. However, India struck at regular intervals, denying Australia any continued momentum in the middle-overs.

Shreyanka Patil emerged as the standout performer, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 22 from her four overs. Her early breakthroughs proved decisive as India maintained control throughout, eventually sealing a thrilling 17-run victory to clinch the epic decider to win the T20I series in Australia after 10 years.

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