Mithali hits century to help India A women clinch series
Mithali Raj scored an unbeaten 105 to help India score 184-5 in its allotted 20 overs. Australia could manage only 156-9 and conceded defeat by 28 runs.
Published : Oct 24, 2018 15:40 IST
Mithali Raj hammered an unbeaten ton to help India women’s A team get the better of Australia A by 28 runs in the second T20 on Wednesday and clinch the series.
Opening the innings for India A at the Bandra Kurla Complex, Mithali went hammer and tongs at the Australia bowlers, remaining unbeaten on 105 in just 61 balls. She stayed at the crease till the end and crafted her innings with 18 boundaries and a six. It is now the highest score by an Indian woman cricketer in T20 format. She broke the record set by Smriti Mandhana, who had played a knock of 102 earlier this year in the KIA Super League.
| Top scores in T20 (Indians) |
105* - MITHALI RAJ (for India A) 102 - Smriti Mandhana (for Western Storm, 2018) 100* - Mithali Raj (for Railways, 2017/18) 96* - Smriti Mandhana (for Maharashtra, 2012/13) |
While the team lost wickets in quick intervals, Mithali stood firm and stitched an 85-run partnership with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who played a knock of 57.
And with Mithali and Harmanpreet holding fort, India A reached 184-5 in 20 overs. For the Australian side, Tahlia McGrath scalped 2-36.
Chasing a mammoth target of 185, Australia A got off to a steady start, with McGrath (47) and Josephine Dooley (14) putting up 61 in the opening partnership. But once the openers departed, things went haywire for the visiting side as it lost wickets in quick succession. Though Heather Graham scored 24, she had no support from the lower middle-order. In 20 overs, it could only reach 156-9.
For India, Deepti Sharma, Anuja Patil and Poonam Yadav scalped two wickets apiece. With this win, India A sealed the three-match series.
The sides will play the final fixture on Friday.
Brief Scores: India A 184-5 in 20 overs (Mithali Raj 105 not out, Harmanpreet Kaur 57, Tahila McGrath 2-36) beat Australia A 156-9 in 20 overs (Tahila McGrath 47, Heather Graham 24, Poonam Yadav 2-29).