Press Trust of India
Melbourne, Jan 29: The Indian women’s cricket team scripted history here Friday by clinching their maiden Twenty20 series win over three-time World Champions Australia with a comprehensive 10-wicket triumph in the rain-truncated second game, here. The eves have now taken an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Incidentally, this was India’s third T20 victory over Australia in 11 games
Opting to bowl after winning the toss, the Indians had their more fancied rivals on the mat in overcast conditions. The visitors restricted the hosts to 125 in the match which was reduced to 18-overs-a-side following rain interruption.
In reply, the Indian eves came out all guns blazing and were cruising along nicely before another round of showers forced a revision of target to 66 in 10 overs. Skipper Mithali Raj (37 n o, 32b, 6×4) struck the winning runs as India overhauled the target in 9.1 overs.
In a throughly dominating performance from start to finish, India cornered Australia early on by reducing them to 33 for three in just the fifth over of the match. It took a 70-run fourth-wicket stand between Aussie skipper Meg Lanning (49, 39b, 3×4, 2×6) and Jess Jonassen (27) to steady the rocking boat.
Once Lanning was run out by Harmanpreet Kaur, the wickets also tumbled in a heap. To their credit, Indian bowlers, especially, senior pacer and player of the match Jhulan Goswami (2/16) and leg-spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2/27) ensured that the hosts’ remained shackled in their scoring rate.