Women's T20I tri-series FINAL: Australia beats India by 11 runs

Here are all the updates from the Women's T20 tri-series final between India women and Australia women in Melbourne on Wednesday.

India's opening batter Smriti Mandhana continued her fine form with a fifty against the Australian women's team in the final league match.

That's it for today. Thanks for tuning in!

Earlier in the day, Beth Mooney led from the front with a 54-ball unbeaten 71 as Australia made 155/6 in 20 overs. Smriti Mandhana did score 66 runs off 37 balls during India's run chase but Jess Jonassen rattled the Indian batting line-up towards the end to claim the win and the trophy for her side.

Australian captain Meg Lanning collects the trophy and her teammates join her for a photo.

Beth Mooney is the player of the tri-series for her 208 runs in the tournament.

Jess Jonassen is the player of the match for her 5/12 in four overs.

AUSTRALIA BEATS INDIA BY 11 RUNS TO WIN THE WOMEN'S T20 TRI-SERIES!!!!

• INDIA - 144/10 in 20 overs. Jonassen gets a five-wicket haul. The ball was tossed up and Deepti Sharma hit it straight to Haynes at short third.
• GONE!!! Bhatia is out! She tried to get one above mid-off but all that she can do is find Sutherland. Jonassen with her fourth wicket. She has made the difference for Australia today.
• INDIA - 141-8 in 19 overs. It need 15 runs to win from 6 balls.
• TWO FOURS IN THE LAST TWO BALLS OF THE 19TH OVER! Megan Schutt is the bowler. Taniya Bhatia cuts and finds the gap between short third and point! The next ball, she cuts again, this time fine past between the keeper and short third. Is there one final twist in the tale? 
• INDIA - 129/8 in 18 overs. 27 runs required from 12 balls, while Australia needs two wickets.
• ANOTHER CATCH! WICKET!!! Radha Yadav is out for 2. Another wild slog and the ball went high up the air. Meg Lanning takes a well-judged catch at cover.
• INDIA - 125/7 in 17 overs. It requires 31 runs from 18 balls, while Australia needs three wickets.
• FOUR AND OUT!!!! Another one bites the dust. Ellyse Perry gets the wicket of Shikha Pandey who just found the boundary with a leading edge, the previous ball. She came up with a slower ball next up to tempt Pandey to go for the lofted shot. The ball didn't get much elevation as it landed safely in the hands of Carey at mid-off.
• SECOND WICKET IN THE OVER! The new batswoman Arundhati Reddy tries to go for the sweep but she only manages to get a top edge. The keeper Alyssa Healy completes the catch. Jonassen has turned the match on its head now.
• OUT!!! LBW! Jess Jonassen removes Harmanpreet Kaur for 14! That was plumb in front as the umpire has no hesitation in lifting his finger. Kaur leaned forward to play the ball on the turn but the flight did the trick for Jonassen.
• INDIA - 117/4 in 15 overs. 39 runs needed off 30 balls.
• BOUNDARY AND GONE!!! Mandhana hammered one towards square leg and Carey let it go between her legs for a four. The next ball, Carey was moved to mid-wicket and Mandhana went for a similar shot. This time the Australian fielder made no mistake. Mandhana departs for 66.
• FOUR! Gardner bowls a fuller one and Kaur paddle sweeps it to the boundary. She found the gap with precision.
• MANDHANA ON FIRE!!!! CONSECUTIVE FOURS!! This is some sort of hammering. Sutherland is the bowler. She's bowling short, full and good length balls and Mandhana is middling everything here.
• BOUNDARY! Captain Harmanpreet Kaur joins the party!!! She glances a full toss on the pads for a four past fine leg.
• INDIA - 85/3 in 12 overs. 71 required off 48 balls. FIFTY OFF 29 BALLS FOR MANDHANA!!!
• THREE FOURS IN THE 12TH OVER!!! Mandhana is connecting really well. Vlaeminck's final over fetches India 13 runs. A beautiful cover drive from the Indian opener started off the over. She then hit one past deep mid wicket and the next towards sweeper in the fifth and sixth balls of the over.
• BOUNDARY!!! Mandhana is keeping the scoreboard ticking with her aggression. Another short ball from Vlaeminck and this time Mandhana timed the pull towards square leg to perfection and found the four.
• GONE! Jemimah Rodrigues is out for 2. One more top edge. Short ball from Vlaeminck and Jemimah tried to direct it wide off fine leg. But unfortunately for her, it goes straight to Carey who takes a simple catch.
• FOUR! Mandhana opens the face of the bat late to find the gap between third man and point. Sutherland's pace helped Mandhana's cause.
• WICKET!!! Another catch off a top edge. Short ball and Ghosh, batting at 17, swung hard. The ball went very high in the air and eventually landed in the waiting arms of Vlaeminck at short third. This is Sutherland's first international wicket. A moment to cherish for the right-arm medium pacer.
• INDIA - 54/1 in 8 overs. India requires 102 runs from 12 overs to beat Australia in the final.
• BACK-TO-BACK BOUNDARIES!! Richa Ghosh gets into the act now! Nicola Carey was the bowler. Richa was on the charge as he middled one towards cover. The very next ball, which was bowled well outside off, she went for the cut and got a thick outside edge which raced off to the boundary.
• FOUR! Mandhana sweeps the ball towards square leg and finds the boundary. Loose ball from Gardner.
• INDIA - 31/1 in 5 overs. India needs 125 runs from 15 overs.
• TWO FOURS IN THE FOURTH OVER!! Smriti Mandhana hits Vlaeminck to deep mid-wicket first. That ball on the pads deserved to be punished. The final ball of the over was a short one and Mandhana waits and pulls one past fine leg.
• DROPPED! Carey drops Smriti. This might prove costly. She hung on to the ball at deep mid-wicket and spilled it while rolling over.
• BOUNDARY! Smriti Mandhana smashes a Megan Schutt ball towards deep mid-wicket to fetch four runs!
• INDIA - 11/1 in 2 overs.
• OUT!! Tayla Vlaeminck dismisses Shafali for 10! Vlaeminck's pace got the better off the Indian opener who went for a pull and got a top edge. Beth Mooney at short cover completed the catch.
• TEN OFF THE FIRST OVER!!! Shafali Verma on the attack straightaway! She came down the track and hit a boundary over the fielder at mid-off in the fourth ball of the over. She then smashed a six over long off to end the over.

THE INDIAN RUN-CHASE BEGINS! Ellyse Perry with the new ball!

Deepti Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 2/30, while Rajeshwari Gayakwad also bagged 2/32. Radha Yadav and Arundhati Reddy claimed a wicket each. Shikha Pandey, despite not picking up a wicket, was the most economical today.

After losing an early wicket, Australia has done well to reach 155/6 in 20 overs. India conceded 28 runs off the last two overs. Beth Mooney 71 and cameos from Ashleigh Gardner, Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes has handed the advantage back to the host.

• AUSTRALIA - 155/6 in 20 overs.
• FOUR TO FINISH OFF THE INNINGS!!! BETH MOONEY HAS SCORED 71*(54)! She smashes a half-volley from Gayakwad straight down the ground and the fielder is unable to stop it despite a full-stretch dive.
• WICKET! HAYNES IS CAUGHT AT LONG-ON FOR 18(7). Gayakwad finally gets her second wicket! Another wild slog as she comes down the track. But this time the delivery was flatter and Haynes found Harmanpreet Kaur at long-on. 
• FOUR AND SIX!! Rachael Haynes with a late cameo. India is losing the plot towards the end. Gayakwad with two poor tossed up balls! The first one was hit wide of the sweeper and the next one is smashed over mid-wicket after Haynes came down the track.
• BOUNDARY! Gayakwad is bowling the final over of the innings and her very first ball was lofted inside out over cover. Brilliant shot from the in-form Beth Mooney.
• AUSTRALIA - 136/5 in 19 overs. Nine runs off the penultimate over.
• FOUR! Beth Mooney hits one past deep extra cover. Radha Yadav bowled a poor short ball there to gift a boundary to Australia.
• AUSTRALIA - 127/5 in 18 overs.
• GONE!!! STUMPED! Deepti dismisses Sutherland for 7(6)! This was a perfect arm ball fired at leg. Sutherland walked out and went for the square drive. But she completely misses it and Bhatia collect the ball on the half-volley and dislodges the bails in time. Great work from the keeper!
• FOUR! Annabel Sutherland has just struck one straight down the ground. Deepti Sharma with another slower ball and the Australian batswoman read it well.
• AUSTRALIA - 109/4 in 16 overs. Last four overs, can the Aussies reach 150? Beth Mooney reaches her half-century!
• OUT! Rajeshwari Gayakwad strikes an over after Radha! Ellyse Perry is the player out after facing just six balls and scoring one! Perry tried to play a big shot against the turn. But all she can do is find Deepti at long on.
• WICKET!! Meg Lanning, batting at 26, holes one to short fine leg and Shafali Verma takes a good catch! The ball from Radha Yadav was drifting towards leg and Lanning went for a sweep. But she completely mistimed the shot and is absolutely furious now.
• OUTSIDE EDGE! FOUR TO FINISH OFF THE OVER! AUSTRALIA - 104/2 in 14 overs. The fourth wicket partnership is now 48 runs off 32 balls.
• EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE AND UNLUCKY FOR INDIA! MISSED RUN-OUT!!! Lanning hit and Arundhati ball to mid off where Shikha Pandey did well to gather and release the ball quickly. However, the Indian fielder's throw hits the camera wiring attached to the stump and goes elsewhere without knocking off the bails. Lanning was well short there as Shikha and her teammates are shell-shocked.
• These two - Mooney and Lanning - have been excellent between the wickets! They've stolen ones and twos often out of nowhere. Seven overs to go!
• Nine off the over! AUSTRALIA - 86/2 in 12 overs.
• Mooney begins the 12th over in style! She smashes Shikha's slower delivery over mid wicket for four more runs, She follows that up with double. Excellent running from the duo.
• The seventh and 11th overs of the innings have been the most productive for Australia - each fetching 12 runs.
• SIX!! First maximum of the match. Arundhati bowls a friendly full toss on leg and Australian skipper Lanning thrashes it over mid wicket for a huge six.
• AUSTRALIA - 65/2 in 10 overs. Beth Mooney - 31*(28) and Meg Lanning - 2*(4). India will be the happier of the two sides at the moment.
• GREAT SHOT!! Mooney drives one past deep extra cover to add four more runs to Australia's total. She moves to 30 now.
• Meg Lanning is the new batswoman in!
• OUT!!! Arundhati makes the breakthrough!! Gardner is gone for 26! Bowled outside off and some late bounce did the trick. The Aussie No. 3 hit one straight up and this time Gayakwad does no mistake as she clings on the ball at short cover.
• WIDE! Arundhati Reddy begins her spell with a wide. 50-RUN PARTNERSHIP! Mooney and Gardner have stabilised the Australian innings after the loss of an early wicket.
• AUSTRALIA - 52/1 in 8 overs.
• FOUR MORE! This time it's Gardner. It was full toss at the leg and a wild swing followed. Gayakwad at square leg makes another mistake as she misfields close to the rope.
• BOUNDARY! Mooney makes India pay for dropped chance by slamming one towards extra cover. The new bowler Radha Yadav just tossed it up too much.
• FOUR! Final ball of the sixth over and absolutely smashes the ball towards long off and claims a boundary. The powerplay comes to an end. Decent start from Australia.
• DROPPED!!! You just can't drop Beth Mooney. Rajeshwari Gayakwad what have you done??!! That was a sitter. Shikha Pandey is devastated. Slower ball, top edge and dropped at short third.
• BACK-TO-BACK BOUNDARIES!! Beth Mooney joins the party! Both balls were bowled on her leg by Deepti. First time, she came down the track and hit one over mid off as the ball sailed past the outstretched arms of skipper Harmanpreet. The next one was a straightforward sweep towards square leg.
• AUSTRALIA - 21/1 in 4 overs.
• FOUR! Gardner hits one over mid on. She's taken a liking towards Pandey here. Another ball in the slot which was driven powerfully.
• BOUNDARY! The new batswoman Ashleigh Gardner slams two fours in the second over. Shikha Pandey is the bowler. The first one was a full toss outside off- an absolute gift. The next one was a cover drive which was almost caught by the diving Jemimah Rodrigues.
• OUT!! Deepti Sharma strikes! Alyssa Healy makes the long walk back after being caught behind at 4(4). Great catch by Taniya Bhatia. It was bowled outside off and the ball was swinging towards leg and got a thick edge.
• FOUR! What a way to begin the innings. First ball, four runs. Healy connects a pull to square leg. Poor ball to start up with.

AND WE'RE UNDERWAY!

TOSS: Australia has won the toss and elected to bat first.

Annabel Sutherland replaces Sophie Molineux for Australia, while Richa Ghosh replaces Harleen Deol for India.

PLAYING XIs:

Australia:  Alyssa Healy(W), Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Meg Lanning(C), Ellyse Perry, Rachael Haynes, Nicola Carey, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck.

India:  Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(C), Taniya Bhatia(W), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Shikha Pandey, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav.

MATCH PREVIEW:

With its batting woes sorted, India will fancy its chances of claiming the women’s T20 tri-series when it faces Australia in the summit clash here on Wednesday.

After failing to fire in unison in its first three league matches, India produced a good batting show to record a seven-wicket win over Australia on Saturday, which took the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side into the final.

The two sides are on equal footing having won a match against each other in the double-legged league.

Senior opener Smriti Mandhana   continued to be the batting bulwark along with Harmanpreet, but the most heartening thing was that 16-year-old Shafali Verma   came good in the last game against Australia.

The home side posted 173 for five, courtesy a 57-ball 93 from Ashleigh Gardner and Meg Lanning's 22-ball 37, but India overhauled the target in 19.4 overs, largely due to opener Shafali’s 49 off 28 balls and Mandhana’s 55 off 48 balls.

Read: Women's T20 World Cup: ICC to use no-ball technology

After two failures, Shafali gave India a flying start and her innings contained eight fours and a six. Her senior opening partner Mandhana, on the other hand, anchored the chase with a solid knock that comprised seven boundaries.

Jemimah Rodrigues also contributed with a quickfire 19-ball 30, which was studded with five hits to the fence, while Harmanpreet chipped in with a run-a-ball 20 to help India chase down the target.

The Indian bowlers have been doing well in this tournament with the likes Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad producing consistent performances. In the penultimate league match against England, the Indian bowlers did well to not allow the opponents an easy win while defending a small total.

Australia got a boost after an easy win over England a day after losing to India. It has a strong batting line-up with opener Beth Mooney among runs and one-down Gardner in tremendous form.

Read: Shafali Verma meets Tendulkar in Melbourne, fulfils childhood dream

Key players Lanning and Ellyse Perry have also been in good touch. The only struggling batter has been the opener Alyssa Healy.

Gardner had top-scored against India in the second league match between the two sides, while Mooney played a big part in the win against England, which took the home side to the final.

The tournament is a preparatory event for the T20 World Cup beginning in Australia on February 21.