Perfect Sunday: India Women, India A Down Pakistan & Australia; Men Eye Hat-Trick vs Pakistan
Sunday, February 15 turned into a day of celebration for Indian cricket, with two women’s teams delivering statement victories within hours of each other.
The action began in Bangkok, where Radha Yadav’s India Women A brushed aside Pakistan Women A by eight wickets in the Rising Stars Asia Cup, setting the tone early.
The celebrations continued in Australia as Harmanpreet Kaur’s senior side stunned Australia Women by 21 runs via the DLS method in the opening T20I, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Rain played a decisive role, but there was little doubt about the superiority of the visitors. When showers interrupted play, India were well ahead of the DLS par score of 29. With conditions failing to improve, a single rain break proved enough to hand India a well-deserved victory.
With two wins secured, the focus now shifts to the men’s team, who face Pakistan in a high-voltage T20 World Cup clash at the R Premadasa Stadium, aiming to complete a perfect 3-0 Sunday for Indian cricket.
ARUNDHATI LEADS THE CHARGE
Australia Women struggled to build sustained partnerships and were bowled out for 133 in 18 overs after a stop-start innings.
Early wickets dented momentum as Beth Mooney departed for 5. Georgia Voll’s brisk 18 off 10 balls briefly lifted the tempo, while Phoebe Litchfield (26 off 19) and Ellyse Perry (20 off 11) powered Australia to 68 for 3 inside eight overs.
But just as they threatened to accelerate, India struck back.
Ashleigh Gardner managed only 4, and although Georgia Wareham counterattacked with a spirited 30 off 19 balls, wickets fell in clusters. From 121 for 5, Australia collapsed to 133 all out, losing their final five wickets for just 12 runs.
Arundhati Reddy was exceptional, returning figures of 4 for 22 and breaking the backbone of the middle order. Renuka Singh and Shree Charani chipped in with two wickets apiece to ensure Australia never fully recovered.
SHAFALI IGNITES THE CHASE
India’s chase began cautiously, with 18 runs coming in the first three overs. The shift in momentum arrived in the fourth over when Shafali Verma launched a counterattack against Nicola Carey, plundering 15 runs and swinging control India’s way.
Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues then piled on the pressure, striking three boundaries off Sophie Molineux to surge comfortably past the DLS par score.
Shafali’s brisk 21 off 11 balls set the platform before her dismissal at 33. Mandhana remained unbeaten on 16, while Rodrigues’ quickfire 9 off 3 ensured India were cruising at 50 for 1 in 5.1 overs when rain halted proceedings — sealing a commanding result.
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