India Women vs Australia Women, 5th T20: Australia beat India by 54 runs to claim series 4-1

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Half-centuries from Ashleigh Gardner and Grace Harris and a fiery spell from Heather Graham guided an all-round Australia to a 54-run win over India in the fifth and final T20I of the series in Mumbai on Tuesday. Australia has won the series 4-1. Chasing 197, India lost openers Smriti Mandhana (4) and Shafali Verma (13) in the powerplay itself. Darcie Brown and Ashleigh Gardner respectively took the wickets. India was reduced to 24/2 in 4.2 overs.

Following that, Harleen Deol and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur took India through the remainder of the powerplay without any damage. At the end of six overs, India was at 46/2, with Deol (24*) and Kaur (2*) at the crease. A huge mix-up between the duo ended with Deol getting run out for 24 off 16 balls. India was 47/3. Following that, India lost Harmanpreet (12) and power-hitting wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh (10) to Annabel Sutherland and Gardner. Gardner continued her great run in the match, getting her second wicket after a fifty. Half of the Indian side was dismissed for 70 runs.

At the end of 10 overs, India was at 71/5, with Devika Vaidya (1*) and Deepti Sharma (2*) being the fresh pair. Women in Blue looked lost in this big run chase and needed to replicate what Gardner and Grace Harris did in the second half of Australian batting. But India's miseries just would not stop. Heather Graham dismissed both Devika (11) and Radha Yadav (0) in the 13th over and the hosts sunk to 88/7. At the end of 15 overs, India was at 100/7, with Deepti (18*) and Anjali (2*).

Tahlia got her first wicket of the match and she dismissed Anjali for 4. India was 130/8 in 18.2 overs. Graham got her third wicket of the match, dismissing Renuka Singh for just two. India finished their innings at 142 all out, with Deepti falling for 53 to Graham at the final ball of the innings. India lost the match by 54 runs. Graham (4/8) was the pick of bowlers for Australia. Gardner took two, while McGrath, Sutherland and Brown took one wicket each.

Earlier, a quickfire century partnership between Grace Harris and Ashleigh Gardner helped Australia recover from some early blows and post 196/4 in their 20 overs against India in their fifth and final T20I of the series in Mumbai on Tuesday. At the end of 10 overs, Australia was four wickets down at 72 runs, but Gardner (66*) and Harris (64*) unleashed carnage in the final 10 overs, scoring 124 runs in the second half of their innings.
Put to bat first by India, Australia faced an early setback as a slower ball from Anjali Sarvani dislodged wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney's stumps for just two off four balls. Australia was 8/1.

All-rounder Deepti Sharma did not take much time to make an impact either, dismissing Phoebe Litchfield for just 11 off nine balls after she was stumped by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh. India had reduced the Aussies to 17/2 in 3.3 overs. After this, skipper Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry stepped up, taking their team through the remainder of the powerplay without any further damage. Australia was 42/2 at the end of the powerplay in six overs, with McGrath (19*) and Perry (6*).
Shafali Verma emerged to break a promising stand between the duo, cutting it short to just 38 runs. Australia was 55/3.

India continued to dominate the match, with Vaidya dismissing Perry for just 18 off 14 balls, with assistance from Harleen Deol's safe hands at long-on. Australia was 4/67 at this point. At the end of 10 overs, Australia was at 72/4, with Grace Harris and Ashleigh Gardner at five not out each.
Gardner swung some momentum to Australia's side, smashing Anjali for four boundaries in the 13th over, in which a total of 19 runs were made. Australia reached the hundred-run mark in 12.5 overs. The next over by Rajeshwari Gayakwad also gave away 12 runs.

At the end of 15 overs, Australia was at 129/4, with Grace (37*) and Gardner (30*). Both batters upped their run rate, hitting plenty of fours and sixes in every over, having hammered 60 runs in four overs, at the end of the 16th over, which gave away 15 runs. Aussies crossed the 150-run mark in 16.5 overs. Harris brought her maiden fifty in 28 balls, while Gardner raced to her sixth fifty in T20Is in just 25 balls. The duo also brought up their hundred-run stand in just 49 balls.

Australia ended their innings at 196/4 in 20 overs, with Ashleigh Gardner unbeaten at 66 off just 32 balls, with 11 fours and one six and Harris at 64 off 35 with six fours and four sixes. They stitched a 129-run stand in just 62 balls. Anjali, Deepti, Shafali, Devika Vaidya took one wicket each.

Brief Scores: India 142 (Deepti Sharma 53, Harleen Deol 24, Heather Graham 4/8) lost to Australia: 196/4 (Ashleigh Gardner 66*, Grace Harris 64*, Devika Vaidya 1/26).