India-W vs Australia-W HIGHLIGHTS, 1st T20: Mooney, McGrath lead AUS to nine-wicket win

Healy: Let me tell you - it wasn’t that easy when we were on the field (captaincy). I thought they were below par. As per stats 185 is a par score here. We didn’t finish great with the ball but we knew we were in the game. Probably will look to tidy up the death bowling and some other areas.

Beth Mooney: Love putting the Australian shirt on first and foremost. And fortunate enough to come up a few times against India as well. Played a couple of nice shots tonight and glad to get the team over the line. Really nice wicket. Had a tip before coming that we were going to play on some nice batting wickets. It’s true to form out there

Harmanpreet Kaur: I think yes (on whether the total was enough). It was a decent total - we were in the game till the 13th over. But after that we gave away too many boundaries and even the fielding was not upto the mark. Night games are always like that - sometimes it’s difficult to judge the ball. Radha is one of our best fielders, and I think it happens. But we have to take those chances to win. Yes, it did (dew played a role). Our bowlers were trying our best. But once they got their reprieves, they played freely. Have to take those chances to win.

Tahlia McGrath: Nice to start off the series with a win. Haven’t played together as a team since the Commonwealth Games. The crowd was special today. It starts at training - we work very hard, push each other. One of our mantras is to keep getting better. Indian batters batted really well especially at the back end, but we saw that we got value for shots here. Really nice wicket. We were happy with that total. Mooney was outstanding today. I’m good to go (with the ball - no niggle). Just spoilt for choice with bowlers.

McGrath flicks Deepti to backward square-leg for two runs and Australia completes a comfortable nine-wicket win! 16th consecutive T20I win for the defending world champion. India will have to go back to the drawing board to have a serious look at its bowling combinations and fielding standards.

Anjali sends in a couple of slower-balls as McGrath aims to finish the chase with one strike. Slower-ball across the line and McGrath places it to deep cover for a single. Five runs from the over.

Meghna goes full and straight to McGrath who blocks it back. Length from Meghna and McGrath shuffles across and flicks it brilliantly over backward square-leg for SIX! Back of a length from Meghna and McGrath flat-bats the ball over point for FOUR. Meghna strays to the pads and Mooney slides the ball down the on-side for FOUR. Slower bouncer and Mooney dabs the ball past backward point for FOUR. Australia kills the chase in the space of a couple of overs.

Renuka starts with a full ball outside the off-stump. McGrath finds two runs with a push to deep cover. A single to follow. Australia strolling towards the target now. Renuka landing a slew of dippers on the fuller length. McGrath and Mooney are easily finding the ones and twos through the gaps. Low full-toss from Thakur and Mooney drives it through point for FOUR.

Devika sends in a flipper outside the off-stump and Mooney carves the ball over cover for FOUR. Devika drags the ball across the line once again from over the wicket and Mooney eases into a drive through extra cover for FOUR. Another sloppy flipper from Vaidya and Mooney cashes in with a lofted drive over cover for FOUR. Australia on the overdrive now. Low full-toss from Devika and Mooney places it beautifully through cover for FOUR.

Radha slides the ball onto the pads and Mooney aims to tap the ball through mid-wicket for a single but is sent back by an excellent diving effort by Harmanpreet. Mooney dabs the ball through point to bring up her 50 off 43 balls - her sixth T20I fifty against India. Radha offers length and Mooney shimmies down the track and pummels the ball through deep mid-wicket for FOUR, courtesy a midfield from Jemimah near the fence. Radha overpitches and McGrath drives through sweeper cover for FOUR more. Shoddy bit of fielding from Meghna Singh inside the circle as the ball deflects off her for a boundary.

Deepti Sharma is back. Mooney chips the first ball to long-off for one run. McGrath steps out and Deepti quickly goes wide of off-stump and concedes FOUR byes. A single to follow. Deepti wafts the ball outside the off-stump and Mooney elegantly lofts it over extra cover for FPUR.

Radha Yadav returns. Harmanpreet continues to shuffle through her options. Radha tightens her line and darts the ball into the blockhole. McGrath and Mooney nudge about for a couple of singles. A midfield at cover gives Mooney two runs. Mooney steps out and Radha quickly rockets the ball into the yorker-length and just concedes a single.

Anjali returns. A couple of dots to start with. Anjali surprises McGrath with a near moon-ball on the full. McGrath drives it through cover for two runs. Change of pace from Anjali and McGrath cuts but finds the point fielder. Anjali sends in a fuller delivery and McGrath is beaten while attempting another drive through cover.

Meghna Singh into the attack. DROPPED! It’s Radha Yadav yet again at backward point. Meghna finds some extra bounce as McGrath mistimes her cut to Radha who spills the ball while diving forward. Meghna bumps one short to Mooney who pulls the ball fine down the on-side for FOUR.

Mooney aims to make room through the off-side but Vaidya darts in a delivery into the blockhole. Mooney gets a single down to long-off. Healy unleashes the reverse-sweep and beats the circle for FOUR. Devika to Healy, OUT! Healy chips it straight to Harman. Devika bowls much slower through the air and induces the false stroke from Healy off a low full-toss. The ball lobs straight to her counterpart at cover. Big breakthrough for India as Tahlia McGrath comes in at 3.

Alyssa Healy c Kaur b Vaidya 37 (23b 4x4 2x6)

Radha Yadav replaces Deepti. Radha floats one on length and Mooney sweeps the ball crisply for FOUR. She follows up with a single. Radha cramps up Healy with a slider. Healy attempts to step out and Radha follows her onto the pads. Length on offer and Healy advances to connect the ball well over long-off this time for SIX.

Devika Vaidya replaces Renuka. Devika finds some turn straightaway. Healy advances and wallops the ball through cover and a good stop from Mandhana in the deep denies a boundary. Healy unleashes the slog-sweep and the ball sails over the mid-wicket fence for SIX - 50 up for Australia. Healy drags the next ball to long-off for a single.

Deepti Sharma into the attack. Deepti tosses one up nicely on length outside the off-stump and beats Healy’s blade. A single to follow. Quicker one outside the off-stump and Mooney gets an under-edge past slip and short-third for FOUR. A couple of singles to end the PowerPlay.

India in PP: 48/2

Australia in PP: 47/0

Renuka into her third. She starts with a delivery into the blockhole against Healy. A hint of width and Healy drives the ball down to deep cover for a single. Length ball from Renuka and Mooney drags the ball across the line for FOUR. Renuka overpitches and Mooney blasts the ball down the ground for FOUR more. Poor lines from Renuka and Mooney flicks the ball fine for another FOUR. A dot to end the over.

Short from Anjali and Mooney hammers it across the line for FOUR. A single to follow. Anjali offers room to Healy and the Australia skipper crunches it through cover for FOUR.

Renuka moves once across the line as Mooney hangs her bat away from the body. Richa Ghosh cries for an outside-edge but the umpire stands her ground. A wide to follow. In the air and DROPPED at backward point. Renuka finds the false stroke from Mooney with a rash cut straight to Radha Yadav who spills a straightforward chance. Beaten once again. Mooney does not have much of a leeway against Renuka’s probing lines with Richa standing up to the stumps. Fuller from Renuka and Mooney drives the ball to the cover fielder. Just the two runs from the over.

Anjali Sarvani from the opposite end. Short from Anjali and Mooney pulls it wide lonf-on for a single. A loosener from Anjali onto the pads and Healy pulls it behind square for FOUR. Anjali follows up with a beautiful delivery that slides in to middle-stump. Short once again and Healy pulls the ball to deep square-leg for a single.

Renuka begins with a length delivery that gently moves away from Mooney who taps it through point for a single. Healy is off the mark with a single. Mooney attempts to cut but gets an under-edge. Renuka quickly gets to the ball and denies a single. Richa Ghosh stands up to the stumps. Minimal swing on offer for Renuka. Mooney drives the ball to deep cover for a single. EDGED and past first-slip! Massive reprieve for Healy as Renuka finds the outside-edge past Deepti Sharma for FOUR.

Harmanpreet’s team takes the field as Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney walk out for Australia’s chase. Renuka Singh Thakur takes the new ball.

India in first 10 overs: 71/3

India in last 10 overs: 101/2

India’s highest totals against Australia in women’s T20Is:-

• 177/3 - at Melbourne, 2020
• 172/5 - at DY Patil, today
• 167/8 - at Providence, 2018

Schutt offers room but Vaidya fails to beat the mid-off fielder. Slower-ball on length and Deepti pulls it through mid-wicket for another FOUR. Schutt slides the ball in from around the wicket and Deepti chips the ball over mid-wicket and hits another FOUR. Schutt sends one down the wrong line and Deepti unleashes the paddle for another exquisite FOUR. Deepti is absolutely toying with Schutt now. Seam-up delivery from Schutt from over the wicket and Deepti paddles it over short-fine for another FOUR. Another scoop and this time Deepti settles for a single. But what a finish from India as it recovers to post a hefty 172/5.

Gardner slides the ball onto the pads and Deepti sweeps it towards backward square for a single. Full from Gardner and Vaidya sets off on a quick single with a push to cover. Excellent dive from Deepti helps her make ground at the striker’s. Full toss from Gardner and Deepti pulls it through mid-wicket for FOUR. Gardner overpitches and Deepti thumps the ball past the bowler for FOUR more, 150 up for India. A couple of singles to follo.w

Sutherland returns. Vaidya chips the first ball through cover for a single. Sutherland moves the ball across the line and beats Deepti’s outside-edge. Short ball onto the body and Deepti swivels to pull the behind square for FOUR. Short ball from Sutherland and Deepti creams the ball through point for FOUR more.

Garnder into the attack. Richa Ghosh and Devika Vaidya raise a 50-run partnership in 30 balls. Gardner floates the ball in and Richa steps out and smokes the ball for a SIX towards the sightscreen. Gardner to Richa, OUT! Beaten all ends up. Richa steps out to smash another ball and Gardner quickly skids the ball through to Healy who flicks the bails in a flash. A superb hand from Richa comes to an end as Deepti Sharma walks in.

Richa Ghosh st †Healy b Gardner 36 (20b 5x4 2x6)

Schutt returns. Short ball and Vaidya pulls the ball to deep square-leg and a fumble from Sutherland in the deep offers a second run. A single to follow. Schutt attempts a slower-dipper and lands it well outside the off-stump for a wide. Full from Schutt and Richa gets a thick outside-edge flying over short-third for FOUR. Richa drills the next ball down to long-on for a single.

Richa gets a single to square-leg. Jonassen drops the ball short and Devika steps out and slog-sweeps the ball for SIX over deep mid-wicket. A single to follow as Devika sweeps to deep square-leg. Jonassen goes short once again and Richa slashes the ball through a busy off-side ring for FOUR.

King overpitches and Richa unleashes a slog-sweep down the ground for SIX! Short ball and Richa swivels to pull the ball between deep square-leg and mid-wicket for FOUR. Quicker one outside the off-stump and Richa quickly opens the face of the bat and slides the ball past short-third for FOUR more! 100 comes up for India.

Jess Jonassen into the attack. A sharp slider angling in and Richa Ghosh is completely stuck in the crease as the ball clips the inside-edge and nearly hits the stumps. Richa gets off strike with a single. Vaidya flicks the ball through mid-wicket and finds one run. Jonassen wafts the ball in on length and Richa rocks back to cut the ball through point for FOUR.

Garth to Harmanpreet, OUT! Chips the ball straight to cover. A ball there to be hit as Garth pushes the ball further up and Harmanpreet fails to keep the ball along the ground. Maiden T20I wicket for Garth and it’s a massive breakthrough for Australia as Richa Ghosh walks in at 6. A leg-bye gets her off-stike. Garth shapes the ball away and Devika uses the width and pace of the ball deftly with a slash through backward point for FOUR.

Harmanpreet Kaur c Sutherland b Garth 21 (23b 2x4)

Devika steps out and slog-sweeps King over mid-wicket for a single. A streak of singles to follow as King maintains a tight line around the stumps. Five runs from it.

Sutherland slides the ball in and Harmanpreet nimbly shuffles the ball to deep mid-wicket for two runs. A wide to follow. Short ball from Sutherland and Harmanpreet wallops it through square-leg for FOUR. Sutherland attacks the stumps and Harmanpreet pushes the ball to cover for a quick single.

Alana King into the attack. Devika Vaidya is the new batter. She is off the mark with a backfoot push for one run. King slides the ball in straight to the stumps as Harmanpreet aims to make some room to drive the ball. King overpitches and Harmanpreet drives the ball to wide long-off for one run. Four runs from the over.

Annabel Sutherland replaces Schutt. A hint of shape off the deck for Sutherland who beats Mandhana’s outside-edge. Slower-ball and Mandhana gets a leading-edge over the off-side circle for a single. Streaky from the Indian opener. Harmanpreet attempts to advance as Sutherland goes full to beat the blade. Quick bumper from Sutherland and Harmanpreet mistimes a pull towards the end of the 30-yard circle for a single. Sutherland to Mandhana, OUT! Straight to point. Mandhana never looked settled during her stay and she holes out with a tame cut to the point fielder.

Smriti Mandhana c Mooney b Sutherland 28 (22b 5x4)

Ash Gardner into the attack. Mandhana and Harmanpreet rotate strike with a slew of singles. 50 up for India. Gardner tosses one up and Harmanpreet drives the ball past the cover fielder for FOUR. Garnder aims for the pads and Harmanpreet drives the ball down to long-on for a single.

Megan Schutt returns. Schutt shapes the ball away and Mandhan gets a tame outside-edge to short-third. Outside-edge again off the drive and the ball falls just short of backward point. Mandhana is a bit tentative against the slower-ball that is angling away, Schutt tails the ball in and Harmanpreet leans forward for a block. Just the three runs from the over as the Aussies claw back within the PowerPlay.

Perry continues. Full and Jemimah pushes it to cover. Perry cuts the room with a straighter ball and Jemimah is beaten. Jemimah attempts to make room and Perry follows her onto the pads. Short ball from Perry and Jemimah fails to connect her ball. Four dots. Perry to Jemimah, OUT! Short ball casts Jemimah’s downfall. Absolute class from Perry as she constricted Jemimah from the first ball. The short ball follows her up to the shoulders and Jemimah lobs it straight to mid-on. Harmanpreet Kaur in at 4. Wicket-maiden for Ellyse Perry!

Jemimah Rodrigues c Sutherland b Perry 0 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Garth starts off with a wide. In the air and just past cover for FOUR! Garth straightens the ball from length and Mandhana’s cut shot just falls out of the cover fielder’s reach and races away to the fence. Short from Garth and Mandhana pulls it to deep mid-wicket for FOUR more. Three in a row. A sharp inside-edge from Mandhana and it races past Healy for FOUR. A hint of room and Mandhana creams the ball through cover for FOUR - 17 runs from the over. Garth under serious pressure on her debut.

Ellyse Perry into the attack. Short from Perry and Shafali aims to cut but gets an inside-edge past the keeper for FOUR. Short once again and Shafali slams it over deep point for SIX. Perry to Shafali, OUT! A tame dismissal for Shafali. Perry slides the ball towards the pads and Shafali gets a faint edge on it to the keeper. Shafali’s exciting cameo comes to an end as Jemimah Rodrigues walks in at 3.

Shafali Verma c †Healy b Perry 21 (10b 2x4 2x6)

Kim Garth from the opposite end. Garth starts with an inswinger to Mandhana from over the wicket. Swing and a miss. Garth hits the deck on length and gently moves the ball away as Mandhan aims for an uncharacteristic slog across the line. Garth nips one bac onto Mandhana’s pads and we have three dots on the trot. A hint of room and Mandhan delicately places it between point and cover for FOUR. Beaten. Change of pace from Garth with a length ball outside the off-stump. Mandhana is caught in two minds but has a tame slash at the ball but misses it. Short from Garth and Mandhana flicks it aerially over mid-wicket. Not in control but two runs nevertheless.

Megan Schutt takes the new ball, Shafali on strike. A hint of inswing for Schutt as Shafali aims to swipe across the line but gets an inside-edge onto the pads. Schutt overpitches and Shafali steps out and punches it through extra cover for FOUR. A single to follow. Mandhana is off the mark straightaway with a cut down to deep point for one run. Short from Schutt and Shafali pulls it over wide long-on for SIX!

Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana walk out for India as the Australians take the field after a quick chat in a huddle.

Australia and India line up for the national anthems.

Anjali Sarvani makes her international debut after an impressive run in the domestic cricket. Interestingly, she will be India’s first female left-arm pacer in T20Is.

India XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Devika Vaidya, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Anjali Sarvani, Meghna Singh, Renuka Thakur

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy(w/c), Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Grace Harris, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt

TOSS: Australia wins toss, opts to field

Alyssa Healy: We are going to have bowl. Hope to suck into this powerful Indian line-up. It looks like a good chance to get it together, and hopefully with a little bit of dew later, it might get them a bit hard to grip the ball. Things have changed a lot since the last time we were here. It’s a while since we have been here and it is a rare opportunity to play cricket T20Is in India. We have a debutant in Kim Garth, who is making her debut for a second country.

Harrmanpreet Kaur: We wanted to bowl first as well. I haven’t had a great experience with the toss, my team does not rely on it a lot. We have a great variety in bowling. In batting also, we have great experience, and we want to continue with that. Debut for Anjali Sarvani.

Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh will miss the last T20I of the series to join the U19 World Cup camp ahead of their tour to South Africa.

Former India coach WV Raman has his say on Shafali Verma playing in the upcoming U19 World Cup.

• Matches played: 25
• India Women won: 6
• Australia Women won: 18
• No result: 1
• Last result: Australia Women won by nine runs (Birmingham; August 2022)
• Last five results: AUS-W won: 5; IND-W won: 0

Which TV channels will broadcast IND-W vs AUS-W 1st T20I live?

The first T20I between India Women and Australia Women will be aired LIVE on the Star Sports Network.

Where to watch the online live stream of IND-W vs AUS-W 1st T20I?

The first T20I between India Women and Australia Women will be streamed LIVE on Disney+Hotstar.

At what time will IND-W vs AUS-W 1st T20I match begin?

The first T20I between India Women and Australia Women will begin at 7:00 PM IST.

At what time will the toss for IND-W vs AUS-W 1st T20I take place?

The toss for the first T20I between India Women and Australia Women will take place at 6:30 PM IST.

Where will IND-W vs AUS-W 1st T20I be played?

The first T20I between India Women and Australia Women will be played at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai.

India Women: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Sabbhineni Meghana, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh(w), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Radha Yadav, Harleen Deol, Renuka Singh, Yastika Bhatia, Meghna Singh, Devika Vaidya, Anjali Sarvani

Australia Women: Alyssa Healy(w/c), Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Grace Harris, Nicola Carey, Alana King, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown, Heather Graham, Kim Garth, Phoebe Litchfiel

The last few months have been quite eventful for India’s women’s cricket team. Taking over as captain after Mithali Raj’s retirement earlier this year, Harmanpreet Kaur has ensured that the team puts up a smart and brave show.

Over the last three months, the Women in Blue won a bilateral series in Sri Lanka, reached the final of the Commonwealth Games and went on to defeat England 3-0 in ODIs. Their consistent performances led to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announcing a “pay equity policy”, ensuring that its centrally-contracted men and women players would get the same match fees.

Being a seasoned campaigner, Harmanpreet is aware of the fact that with pay equity policy in place, the responsibility will also increase and when India takes on Australia in a five-match T20I series, beginning on Friday at the DY Patil Stadium, the home side will be hoping to keep the momentum going.

The build-up to the series hasn’t been perfect. Just a couple of days ago, Hrishikesh Kanitkar was named as the batting coach of the team, while ‘former coach’ Ramesh Powar was sent back to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) as a spin bowling coach. But having worked with Kanitkar in the past, the players believe that they will be able to handle situations.

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India and Australia have faced each other 25 times in T20Is, with Australia winning on 18 occasions. India won six times, while one game had no result. But the home team isn’t thinking too much about the statistics and Harmanpreet believes that her team has enough firepower to dominate the Australian team in familiar conditions.

With the DY Patil wicket likely to aid the batters, both the teams will be pinning their hopes on their big guns - while India will be hoping for Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues to come good early on, Australia, too, has its hopes pinned on stand-in captain Alyssa Healy.

Shafali, who was recently named captain of the India U-19 team for the U-19 Women’s World Cup, and Richa Ghosh will miss part of the series as they will join the camp in Bengaluru. However, before that, Shafali has a perfect opportunity to get into the groove. The dashing Indian opener has had a mixed year so far, and it would be interesting to see how she copes against the Australian fast bowlers.

With the Women’s T20 World Cup lined up in February next year, the series against Australia will be important and Harmanpreet believes that the team will want to “continue the kind of cricket that we played for three months and we won’t make any changes to our approach…”

The captain has had a successful year so far with the bat, having amassed 387 runs in 17 T20Is at an average of 35.18, and going forward, the team management will be expecting the batters to regroup and re-strategise ahead of a packed international calendar.

For the home series, India has left out seasoned all-rounder Sneh Rana, Kiran Navgire and Dayalan Hemalatha, making way for left-arm seamer Anjali Sarvani, who had a successful outing in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy as well as the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy, and leg-spinner Devika Vaidya.

As Devika returns to the set-up after eight years and under a new coach, it would be interesting to see whether she fits into the scheme of things.

Australia, on the other hand, finds itself in a spot of bother. After landing in India, fast bowler Darcie Brown and opener Beth Mooney missed the first two training sessions due to illness, but captain Healey hopes that Mooney will be available for the first match.

“India in their home conditions, no matter what the format, is is a real task and is different to what we have at home. We’re fresh off the WBBL (Women’s Big Bash League) back in Australia playing on Australian type of wickets and coming here and adjusting to different types of conditions that get thrown at us. You have to adapt quickly. Generally in T20 you get batting friendly wickets,” Healey, who will make her captaincy debut on Friday, said.

With Rachael Haynes retiring from the game and Meg Lanning on a long break, the windows of opportunity have opened for Tahlia McGrath, Ashleigh Gardner and Ellyse Perry. Over the last few years, India and Australia have emerged as two of the fiercest competitors and when the action begins at home, India will hope to make a strong statement.

- Shayan Acharya