IND Women vs AUS Women HIGHLIGHTS, 4th Women’s T20: Australia pips India by 4 runs, takes 3-1 unassailable lead in series

Schutt runs in and Deepti hits a fuller ball down the ground for FOUR! A single down to long-on.

15 needed off 4.

• 19.3 - Full toss and Richa pushes it down to long-off for one run.
• 19.4 - 14 needed off 3. Schutt strays to the pads and Deepti flicks it through mid-wicket for FOUR.
• 19.5 - 10 needed off 2. In the blockhole and Deepti only finds a single.
• 19.6 - Richa drags the ball to long-on and only gets a single.

Australia beats India by 7 runs and takes an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.

Heather into the attack. India absolutely needs to cash-in in this over. In the slot and Richa pumps the ball over long-off for SIX! Length ball and Richa pummels the ball over mid-wicket for SIX! Slower-ball and Richa gets an outside edge past the keeper for FOUR. DOT. An inside-edge onto the pads. A single to follow as Richa flat-bats the ball to deep mid-wicket. Slower-ball and Deepti works the ball through the on-side for one run. India needs 20 runs in 1 over

Short ball and Ghosh mistimes the slog-sweep for one run. Gardner to Devika, OUT! Gardner foxes Devika on flight and Mooney flicks the bails in style. Devika departs after putting brakes on a collapse with Harmanpreet. Deepti Sharma in at 7. Sweeps the second ball for a single - 150 up for India.

Devika Vaidya st Mooney b Gardner 32 (26b 3x4)

Schutt continues. Tails the ball in and Richa drills the ball through cover for FOUR. UP IN THE AIR and DROPPED at mid-off! Well, that could be costly for Australia. RIcha miscues the slog and sends it straight to McGrath who spills an easy chance.. Slower ball outside the leg-stump and Devika swivels to pull the ball for FOUR.

Gardner returns. Drifts the ball into Richa who tucks it fine for one run. Gardner slides the ball in and Devika chips it straight back. A half-chance goes down as India gets another single. Richa scoops the ball over short-fine leg for two runs. A single to follow. Tight over this from Gardner. A single o finish.

India needs 70 runs in 36 balls. Harmanpreet tucks the first ball onto the on-side and finds a single. Devika shimmies down and works the ball through mid-wicket for one run. King to Harmanpreet, OUT! Huge for Australia! Harmanpreet top-edges while attempting to sweep and the ball lobs straight to the short-fine leg fielder’s hands. Massive jolt for India as the captain walks back for 46. Richa Ghosh in at 6. Short ball from King and Richa drags the first ball through mid-wicket for FOUR. Tossed-up delivery outside the off-stump and Richa guides it down past short-third for FOUR more!

Harmanpreet Kaur c Brown b King 46 (30b 6x4 1x6)

Devika gets a single off the first ball. Brown attacks the stumps. Harmanpreet shuffles across and flicks the ball for one run. A rising delivery from Brown and Devika flat-bats it towards mid-on. Full length dive from Perry but she fails to make ground. Devika slices the ball past point and finds two runs.

Short from Heather and Harmanpreet bisects square-leg and mid-wicket for FOUR runs - 100 up for India. In the slot and Harmanpreet drills the ball past long-on for FOUR more! Slower-ball angling in and Harmanpreet opens the face of the bat and guides it past backward point for another FOUR. Heather switches sides. Low full-toss and Harmanpreet scoops it past the keeper for FOUR again! 17 runs from the over!

Schutt returns. Harmanpreet and Devika continue to find the fielders in the deep and the boundaries have not really come their way. The asking rate continues to shoot up. Right on cue, Devika lifts Schutt down the ground for FOUR. A single to follow. Width from Schutt and Harmanpreet slices the ball between point and backward point for FOUR.

King continues. Devika and Harmanpreet pick the gaps consistently for singles. Seven runs from the over.

Streaky little passage of play for Harmanpreet. She attempts to sweep a full ball from Gardner but luckily gets some wood on it. In the slot and Harmanpreet brings out the slog-sweep for SIX over wide long-on.

A couple of singles for Harmanpreet and Devika. Heather sends the ball in and Harmanpreet gets an inside-edge past the keeper for FOUR. Width from Heather and Harmanpreet places the ball past backward point for FOUR.

Annabel Sutherland into the attack. FIFTY up for India as Harmanpreet negotiates in ones and twos. Devika drives the ball through cover for one run. A hint of room and Devika slices the ball behind point for FOUR.

Alana King into the attack. Harmanpreet sweeps on the full to backward square for one run. Jemimah sweeps the ball to mid-wicket for another single. King to Jemimah OUT! Slower-ball onto the pads and Jemimah paddles it straight to short-fine leg.

Jemimah Rodrigues c Brown b King 8 (11b 1x4)

Brown goes full and Shafali lofts the ball over mid-off for FOUR. Short from Brown and Shafali makes room to drag the ball through mid-wicket for FOUR more. Brown to Shafali, OUT! In the air and taken at mid-off. A superb catch from Perry while running backwards from the edge of the circle and India is in deep trouble now. Harmanpreet in at 4.

Shafali Verma c Perry b Brown 20 (16b 4x4)

Ellyse Perry into the attack. Perry slides the ball in and hits Shafali high on the pads. Back-of-a-length from Perry and Jemimah creams the ball through point for FOUR. Short again and Jemimah fires the ball past point and finds two runs. Seven from the over.

Brown returns. She strays to the pads and Shafali clips the ball through mid-wicket for FOUR. Brown sends in a steep bumper and Shafali aims to swat it but misses. EDGED and put down! A tough chance there for Mooney as a quick outside-edge from Shafali skims low down to her right. Shafali was aiming to flick across the line.

Ash Gardner replaces Brown. Short ball angling in and Mandhana clips it to deep square for one run. Gardner wafts the ball in and Shafali nearly chips the ball on the fall to long-on. Gardner to Mandhana, OUT! A cracking off-break to find the outside-edge. Mandhana leans forward to drive but the flight deceives her for a moment and presents a neat chance for Mooney. Big wicket for India as Jemimah Rodrigues walks in at 3.

Smriti Mandhana c Mooney b Gardner 16 (10b 3x4)

Megan Schutt from the opposite end. Schutt angles the ball across the line and Mandhana drives the ball down to deep cover for one run. A single to follow. Schutt strays to the pads and Mandhana flicks the ball through fine-leg for FOUR. Another single to deep cover. Slower-ball well outside the off-stump and the umpire signals a wide ball.

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Darcie Brown takes the new ball. Mandhana on strike. Short ball and Mandhana pulls the first ball through square-leg for FOUR. Loose outside the off-stump and Mandana slaps it through point for FOUR. Brown slides the ball onto the pad and Mandhana flicks the ball through mid-on for one run. Brown overpitches and Shafali starts off with a crunching drive through cover for FOUR.

Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma walk out for the chase. Beth Mooney will take over wicektkeeping duties in Healy’s absence.

Harris attempts to shuffle across the line as Deepti drags the ball wide. Just a single. Short ball and Perry slaps the ball to cover. A straightforward chance for Deepti at the non-striker’s and she lets the ball slip through her hands. In the slot and Perry dumps the ball down the ground for SIX. Deepti wafts the ball in and Perry slog-sweeps well over deep mid-wicket for SIX more! A couple of singles to finish and Australia sets a 189-run target for India!

Sarvani sprays the ball across the line and Harris clobbers it down the ground for FOUR. Length ball and Harris lifts it over long-on for SIX. Australia is absolutely thumping India all over now. Fuller ball and Harris drives it to wide long-off for one run. Sarvani drops the ball outside the off-stump and Perry digs it out straight to point. Another yorker and Perry chips it to backward point. Two dots to finish.

Renuka offers a hint of room and Harris places the fuller ball through point for FOUR. Full toss and Haris guides it through square-leg for FOUR more. Slower-ball sliding in and Harris drives it through mid-on for one run. Renuka attempts to hit the blockhole but concedes a fuller delivery for Perry who drills it through cover for FOUR.

Deepti starts with a short ball. Perry pushes it towards cover and finds a single. Deepti to Gardner, OUT! Straight to long-on. Deepti forces Gardner to drag the ball from outside the off-stump and she fails to find the desired timing. Grace Harris in at 6. Thick outside-edge and the ball races past the backward point for FOUR.

Ashleigh Gardner c Deol b Sharma 42 (27b 3x4 3x6)

Sarvani returns. Short ball outside the off-stump and Perry cuts the ball past point for FOUR and brings up a second-successive FIFTY! A single to follow. Length from Sarvani and Gardner slaps it through mid-wicket for another FOUR. Poor ball on length and Gardner smokes the ball over square-leg for SIX! Massive over for Australia.

Shafali is back. Shafali strays to the pads and Perry sweeps it fine for FOUR through fine-leg. Shafali tosses the ball up and Gardner drills it through extra cover for another FOUR.

Perry charges to the length and lofts Devika over long-off for SIX more. A couple of ones and twos to follow. Short ball angling in and Perry flicks the ball towards mid-wicket. Short ball sliding down leg and Devika concedes a wide. 11 runs from the over.

Low full-toss from Radha and Perry sweeps the ball through square for FOUR. In the slot and Gardner miscues the slog and yet powers it over the long-on fence for SIX. Gardner lobs the ball over cover this time and settles for a single. 100 up for Australia.

Renuka returns. Short ball and Perry breaks free with a pull through mid-wicket for FOUR. Perry aims to step out and shuffle but Renuka zips the ball past the outside-edge to the keeper. Short again and Perry pummels the ball past mid-on for FOUR. Shoddy from Renuka as he bowls another short ball that is easily pumped through square for FOUR from Gardner.

Devika tightens her length and the batters struggle to manoeuvre the gaps. Excellent fielding in the ring by India. A couple of good overs on the trot. Just three runs from the over.

UPDATE: Alyssa Healy has a calf strain and will play no further part in tonight’s game.

Change of ends for Radha. Good start with just a single off the first three balls. Radha straightens her length and forces Perry to work the ball towards mid-on. Slower-ball on length and Perry drives it straight back to the bowler. Short outside off-stump and Perry taps it to cover and scampers for a single. Poor collection from Radha or else Perry was on her way to the dugout.

Devika Vaidya replaces Radha. Devika starts with a loose ball outside off. Gardner lifts it to long-off for one run. Devika tosses up a leg-break into the slot and Gardner clobbers it down the ground for FOUR. Short ball and Gardner cuts it fiercely but Mandhana puts in an excellent dive to deny a boundary at point.

Shafali Verma into the attack. Surprise, surprise? Fine control from Shafali as she hits the blockhole consistently. Shafali wafts one in and Perry chips it straight back at her. The ball bursts through her fingertips for one run. Full toss from Shafali and Gardner drives it through extra cover for FOUR.

And Healy walks off after struggling with cramps and Ash Gardner walks in. Radha Yadav replaces Sarvani.

Radha to McGrath, OUT! Hits the timber. Radha foxes McGrath with the length. Fuller ball angling in towards the leg-stump. McGrath goes for the sweep and misses the ball completely as it hits the stumps. Huge wicket for India as Ellyse Perry walks in. BANG! Perry is off the mark with a thumping six down the ground first ball.

Tahlia McGrath b Yadav 9 (10b 1x4)

Deepti begins with a wide and follows up with another short ball towards the stumps. Deepti stops in her strides as Healy steps out for a slog. A nice off-break drifting in and Healy pushes it to cover and finds a single. Short once again and McGrath rocks back to pull the ball towards deep mid-wicket. She gets a single. A touch to short this time and Healy pumps it through square-leg for FOUR and Healy is cramping and writhes in pain. The physios rush in. She continues to bat and attempts a reverse-sweep off the last ball.

Alyssa Healy retired hurt 30 (21b 6x4)

Sarvani gets some sharp inswing towards McGrath and hits her on the pads. Short ball sliding down leg and Healy flicks it through fine-leg for FOUR. Sarvani goes fuller with the inswinger and forces Healy to dig the ball out. A single to follow. Just fives runs from the over.

Deepti Sharma replaces Sarvani. Shorter ball on length outside the off-stump and Mooney slaps it to extra cover. Deepti to Mooney, OUT! Excellent change of pace from Deepti! Deepti sees Mooney stepping out and wafts one on the length. Mooney drags the ball from the outside off-stump towards mid-on. Tahlia McGrath in at 3. Short ball outside the off-stump and McGrath drags it through mid-wicket and a full length dive from Mandhana is not enough to stop it from for going for FOUR.

Beth Mooney c Shafali Verma b Sharma 2 (8b)

Renuka slides the ball in past Mooney and beats the inside-edge to the keeper. Richa throws the ball back to the stumps and the ball deflects off it and concedes an extra run for Australia. Renuka gives a hint of room and Mooney slides it towards the short-third. Three dots to finish the over.

Anjali Sarvani from the opposite end. Sarvani slides the ball and Mooney flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single. Slower-ball on length and Healy taps it to the cover fielder. Sarvani strays to the pads and Healy tucks it fine for square past short-fine leg for FOUR. Straighter from Sarvani and Healy pushes the ball back to the bowler. Sarvani cramps up Healy and she gets an under-edge past the keeper for FOUR.

Renuka Singh takes the new ball. Two slips in place as Alyssa Healy takes strike. Renuka goes wide off the crease and slides the ball in past Healy’s outside-edge. Thick outside-edge and the ball flies past backward point for FOUR. Renuka overpitches and Healy creams it through extra cover for FOUR. Renuka tails the ball in and Healy gets off strike with a leg-bye. Slower-ball on length and Mooney nudges it towards cover and gets a single.

Harmanpreet’s team takes the field as Australia openers Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney walk out to the middle.

India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Richa Ghosh, Devika Vaidya, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Anjali Sarvani

Australia XI: Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy (c/wk), Tahlia McGrath, Ash Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Grace Harris, Annabel Sutherland, Heather Graham, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

TOSS: India wins toss, to bowl

Harmanpreet Kaur: In the night games, it’s always good to chase. As there’s grass on the wicket and our seamers are doing well, we want to keep doing the same. In the entire team, whoever is batting has to take responsibility. I think in our side, everybody has the ability to hit sixes and we want to back ourselves.

Alyssa Healy: We would have probably had a bowl but batting first worked last time so we are happy. I think we absorbed the pressure they put on us and we took wickets regularly so we want to do more of that. I think we have identified a few areas we can fix in the field. Holding our catches in this really long boundary is important for us.

“My role basically is to be the anchor of the team but also score at a good rate. It depends on the situation of the game. My role is to stay till the end, build partnerships and increase the scoring rate. [WBBL experience] I think it comes in handy. The more you are put under such pressure situations, the more confident you get. [On pressure of playing a five-match series at home] No additional pressure. I think the crowd has been brilliant over here. Especially at the DY Patil with a 47k-plus crowd, that was an incredible experience. We are very happy in the way that women’s cricket has come up. [On her hockey background] Definitely helps me, hockey involves a lot of wristwork. [On fielding] It’s something I really enjoy, and also at the same time you need to keep working on every day so you can get better. Rishi sir always says that fielding is something the only thing that you do for someone else.”

Brabourne is limbering up as we build towards the toss.

Harleen Deol goes through an extended practice session ahead of the fourth T20I. Will India draft her into the Playing XI this evening?

Wicketkeepers: Richa Ghosh

Batters: Beth Mooney (vc), Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana (c), Tahlia McGrath, Shafali Verma

All-rounders: Deepti Sharma, Ellyse Perry

Bowlers: Anjali Sarwani, Renuka Singh Thakur, Darcie Brown

Team Composition: IND-W 7:4 AUS-W Credits Left: 9.5

When the Indian players and the team management went back to the dugout after losing the third Women’s T20I against Australia on Wednesday, they zeroed in on a couple of areas that cost the side the game.

As captain Harmanpreet Kaur pointed out, the team played “too many dot balls” - 56 to be specific. And adding to its woes, the middle-order fumbled under pressure and lost wickets in quick succession to surrender to the mighty Aussies, leading to the home team going down 1-2 in the five-match T20I series. Now, with the series on the line, India needs to fix the loose ends when it squares off against Australia in the fourth T20I at the Brabourne Stadium on Saturday.

This wicket at the iconic venue is not similar to the one at the DY Patil Stadium, which hosted the first couple of games. With bowlers enjoying good swing on this surface, things have been slightly difficult for the batters to get going, but a star-studded Indian batting line-up, comprising Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet, need to ensure that they are consistent in their starts. So far in the series, the opening pair of Shafali and Smriti haven’t been able to hold on to the starts and now with the series in a crucial juncture, it is important to ensure that they play calculatingly, ensuring that there are not too many dot balls.

In the first three matches, Jemimah Rodrigues has struggled, adding pressure to the middle-order and ahead of what could be the series-deciding fixture, the team management needs to decide on whether they want to continue with Jemimah at No.3 or tweak their batting line-up to make sure that the pressure does not mount up towards the end.

In her interaction with the media after losing the third game, Harmanpreet had stressed on the need to finish off a game, and being the leader and the most experienced member of the side, she has to lead from the front and guide the team out of the woods in crunch games. In the last few games, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh have played the roles of the finisher, but going forward, it is a must for the team to have a ‘Plan B’ in a bid to shrug off the over-reliance on Deepti and Richa at the fag end.

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Just not batting, bowling has been an area of concern in the series as all three games have had scores above 170. In the first game, India failed to defend 172, while conceding 187 and 172 in the second and third outings respectively. Harmanpreet admitted that even though the team does not have a bowling coach, the players are taking charge. “I know we are missing a bowling coach but our bowlers are taking charge. They are participative in bowlers’ meetings. They have full responsibility and today [it was] all their plans and they were leading the way, I was just supporting them in the middle,” she said.

With the selectors looking beyond Shikha Pandey, Renuka Singh Thakur has been given the role of India’s pace spearhead, but she hasn’t been quite consistent so far in the tournament and going forward, the bowling unit needs to step up against the Alyssa Healy-led Aussies.

Aiming for another series victory against India, the visiting team will pin its hopes on Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry, while hoping for captain Healy to regain her rhythm.

Mooney and McGrath have accelerated the top-order, while once the seasoned Perry once again stamped her class with a 75 off 47 deliveries in the third game. She had to warm the bench for the entire leg of the Ashes in January this year. With the team opting for aggressive power-hitters, she was sidelined for the Commonwealth Games as well.

While those omissions led to questions over her future, the sudden retirement of Rachael Haynes seems to have opened new doors for Perry, and the Australian team management will be hoping for her to keep the momentum going in the remainder of the series.

With plenty at stake, both the teams have lots to play for.

- Shayan Acharya

THE SQUADS

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

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland.

Match starts at 7 PM IST.

Which TV channel will broadcast IND-W vs AUS-W 4th T20I live?

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

Where to watch the live stream of IND-W vs AUS-W 4th T20I?

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

When will IND-W vs AUS-W 4th T20I match begin?

The fourth T20I between India Women and Australia Women will begin at 7:00 PM IST at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.