A CENTURY partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues powered India to a 17-run win over Australia in the third and final Women's T20I here on Saturday (22), sealing their first bilateral T20I series win against the hosts in a decade.
Mandhana made 82 off 55 balls (8x4, 3x6) and Rodrigues 59 off 46 as the pair added 121 runs for the second wicket to take India to 176 for six after winning the toss and choosing to bat.
India's bowlers then took control. Off-spinner Shreyanka Patil (3/22) and pacer Renuka Singh (1/29) removed the top order to leave Australia at 32 for three, and left-arm spinner Shree Charani (3/32) followed with three more wickets as India restricted the hosts to 159 for nine — winning the series 2-1 and recording their first T20I series win in Australia since 2016.
Shafali Verma fell for seven early, but Mandhana and Rodrigues steadied the innings before going on the attack. The pair took three boundaries off left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux in the sixth over, a 14-run passage that put India back on course. They were 54 for one at the Powerplay.
Mandhana was in punishing touch, taking on leg-spinner Georgia Wareham in the ninth over with a sweep bisecting deep square leg and deep midwicket. She brought up her fifty off 38 balls with a six off Darcie Brown in the 12th over — her 33rd half-century in international cricket and her 160th appearance.
The hundred stand came up in 66 balls. Mandhana fell in the 17th over, caught at deep midwicket off Sutherland by Ashleigh Gardner. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur promoted Richa Ghosh to number four, and the wicketkeeper contributed 18 off seven balls to push India past 175.
In reply, Australia lost openers Georgia Voll (10) and Beth Mooney (6) inside three overs. Shreyanka removed Voll in the second over — the batter top-edged to Renuka, who ran back from short fine leg to take the catch. Renuka then dismissed Mooney, who hit to Charani at deep square leg. Ellyse Perry was bowled by Patil for one, leaving Australia at 32 for three inside four overs.
Gardner (57 off 45 balls) offered resistance with a half-century, but Arundhati Reddy dismissed her in the 16th over, ending Australia's hopes of a recovery.
(PTI)
