ICC Women's T20 World Cup: India stun defending champion Australia by 17 runs in opener

Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first against India in the opening match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women's T20 World Cup at Sydney Showground Stadium on Friday.

Image Credits: Twitter/@ICC

Indian women leg-spinner Poonam Yadav displayed a stellar show with the ball to help the Women in Blue stun defending champion Australia by 17 runs in the opening match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women's T20 World Cup at Sydney Showground Stadium on Friday. 

Defending a low total of 133 runs, Poonam proved to be the tormentor-in-chief for India as she produced brave and brilliant leg-spin bowling to help her side bundle out four-time winner Australia for 115 runs in 19.5 overs. She finished the match with terrific figures of four for 19.

Besides Poonam, Shikha Pandey also claimed three wickets for the Women in Blue, while Rajeshwari Gayakwad also chipped in with a wicket. Healy (51) and Ashleigh Gardner (34) were the top scorer for Australia. 

Earlier, India were off to a solid start as they reached 40/0 in four overs after being asked to bat first. However, they lost Shafali Verma (29), Smriti Mandhana (10) and Jemimah Rodrigues (26) in quick succession to reduce to 47-3. Subsequently, Deepti Sharma smashed a crucial knock of 49 runs off 46 balls to take India 132/4  in their stipulated 20 overs.

Notably, this was the lowest total India have defended against Australia in a T20 World Cup match.

Here are the highlights: 

21 February 2020

16:45 PM

India stun Australia by 17 runs!

16:41 PM

WICKET!! Ashleigh Gardner (34) handed a return catch to Shikha Pandey on the second ball of the 19th over before M Schutt (1) was run out by Rodrigues on the fifth ball. Australia were bundled out for 115 in 19.5 overs.

16:30 PM

WICKET!!! Ashleigh Gardner smashed the fourth ball of the 19th over by Deepti Sharma to deep midwicket. As Gardner left the crease to take the second run, Jemimah threw the ball Deepti Sharma, who tipped the bails off at the non-striker's end to catch Kimmince short. Australia Women 112/8 (19 overs)

16:27 PM

Australia need 27 runs off 12 balls, with Delissa Kimmince (3) and Ashleigh Gardner (29) batting at the crease. Australia Women 106/7 (18 overs)

16:22 PM

Delissa Kimmince is the new batwoman in for Australia.

16:20 PM

WICKET!! Australia have now lost their seventh wicket as Annabel Sutherland was stumped by Bhatia on the third ball of the 17th over by Shikha Pandey. Australia Women 102/7 * (16.5 overs)

16:14 PM

Annabel Sutherland is the new batwoman in for Australia.

16:07 PM

WICKET!! Poonam Yadav struck again as Jess Jonassen caught by Taniya Bhatia behind the stumps on the fifth delivery of the 14th over. Australia Women 82/6 (14 overs)

16:04 PM

Jess Jonassen comes to bat for Australian women. 

16:02 PM

WICKET!!! Back-to-back wickets for Poonam Yadav. While Rachael Haynes (6) was stumped by Taniya Bhatia on the third ball of the 12th over, Ellyse Perry fell for a golden duck after being clean bowled on the very next ball. Australia Women 76/5 (12 overs)

15:57 PM

Ashleigh Gardner comes to bat for Australia. 

15:55 PM

WICKET!!! Just after scoring a half-century, Alyssa Healy (51) handed a return catch to Poonam Yadav on the fifth ball of the 10th over. Australia Women 67/3 (10 overs)

15:46 PM

WICKET!!! Meg Lanning (5) was caught behind stumps by Taniya Bhatia on the third delivery of the ninth over by Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Australia Women 58/2 (8.6 overs)

15:43 PM

Gayakwad conceded just four runs to Australia before Arundhati Reddy gave away 15 runs, including three boundaries. Australia have crossed the 50-run mark. Australia Women 52/1 (8 overs)

15:36 PM

Meg Lanning is the new batwoman in for Australia!

15:32 PM

WICKET!!! Shikha Pandey gave a breakthrough to India. BL Mooney was caught by Neelam Gayakwad at backward point on the fourth delivery of the fifth over. Australia Women 33/1 (5.5 overs)

15:25 PM

Nine runs off the last two overs. Healy (22) crunched a drive flat and hard back past the umpire on the fifth ball of the fourth over by Shikha Pandey for four runs. Australia 25/0 (4 overs)

15:13 PM

Rajeshwari Gayakwad came to bowl the second over and she conceded 12 runs in it. Alyssa Healy (15) glanced the first ball with some power fine past the fielder for four runs before she lofted the third delivery inside out over cover for another boundary. Australia Women 17/0 (2 overs)

15:09 PM

Five runs off the very first over. Healy (4) got off the mark by working the second delivery through midwicket to the sweeper for a single, while Mooney pushed the fourth ball to cover to open her account with one run. Australia Women 5/0 (1 over)

15:07 PM

Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney have walked down the crease to begin Australia's innings. Deepti Sharma to open the attack for India. 

14:54 PM

Innings Break!

14:47 PM

Indian women set a 133-run target for Australia! India 132/4 (20 overs)

14:45 PM

India Women 121/4 (18 overs)

14:44 PM

Jess Jonassen conceded 15 runs to India. Deepti Sharma (39) swept the first ball of the 17th over towards deep square leg for four before she hit the third delivery past the right of the short fine leg for another boundary. India Women 115/4 (17 overs)

14:41 PM

Veda Krishnamurthy comes to bat for India. 

14:36 PM

WICKET!!! Jemimah Rodrigues was caught leg before wicket on the last delivery of the 16th over by Delissa Kimmince. The Women in Blue, meanwhile, have crossed the 100-run mark. India Women 100/4 (16 overs)

14:27 PM

13 runs off the last two overs. Deepti Sharma (24) and Jemimah Rodrigues (24) have settled at the crease and are looking to set a respectable total on the scoreboard with just five overs left. India Women 95/3 (15 overs)

14:23 PM

The Women in Blue added six singles off Ashleigh Gardner's deliveries. While India are looking to cross the 100-run mark, Australia are aiming to grab a few more quick wickets. India Women 82/3 (13 overs)

14:21 PM

13 runs off the last two overs. Deepti Sharma (15) and Jemimah Rodrigues (15) are looking to rebuild India's innings after losing the first three batters cheaply. India Women 76/3 (12 overs)

14:13 PM

India Women 63/3 (10 overs)

14:12 PM

Delissa Kimmince comes into the attack for the first time.

14:10 PM

Eight runs off the last two overs. Deepti Sharma and Jemimah Rodrigues are currently batting at the crease at their respective scores of five and seven as India have crossed the 50-run mark. India Women 57/3 (9 overs)

14:04 PM

Deepti Sharma is the new batwoman in!

14:00 PM

WICKET!! The Indian women's cricket team has now lost their third wicket as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur departs for two runs after the fourth delivery of the seventh over by Jess Jonassen hits Australian wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy on the knee and bounces onto the stumps. Indian Women 49/3 (7 overs)

14:00 PM

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur comes to bat for India at No.4! 

13:52 PM

WICKET!! After Mandhana departed for 10 runs, Shafali Verma followed her back to the dressing room after being taken by Annabel Sutherland on the circle on the third delivery of the sixth over by Ellyse Perry. Indian Women 43/2  (5.3 overs)

13:50 PM

Jemimah Rodrigues comes to bat in for India!

13:49 PM

WICKET!! Smriti Mandhana (10), who was looking good at the crease, was caught leg before wicket on the first delivery of the fifth over by Jess Jonassen. India Women 42/1 (5 overs)

13:41 PM

A quite expensive over from Strano as she conceded 13 runs to India. Shafali (13) carved the second ball of the third over inside out towards cover for four runs before she lofted the fifth delivery magnificently over long on for a maximum. India Women 24/0 (3 overs)

13:37 PM

The Women in Blue added nine runs in the second over. Mandhana (9) walks down the crease on the fifth delivery and lofted the ball powerfully over mid-off for four runs before she once against smashed the last delivery over mid-off for another boundary. Indian Women 11/0 (2 over)

13:32 PM

Just two runs off the very first over for the Women in Blue. Shafali Verma (1) got off the mark by driving the second delivery back towards bowler Strano to pick up a quick single, while Smriti Mandhana (1) too opened her account with one run off the fifth delivery. India Women 2/0 (1 over)

13:28 PM

Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana to begin India's innings. Molly Strano to open the attack for Australia. 

13:27 PM

The two sides have walked down the crease for their national anthems. 

13:14 PM

Lineups: 

Australia Women: Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Molly Strano, Megan Schutt

India Women: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

12:53 PM

Australia win toss, opt to bowl against India!

12:52 PM

A look at the Sydney Showground Stadium, which will host the opening match and five other Women's T20 World Cup cashes. 

The Sydney Showground stadium will host the opening ceremony and five Women's #T20WorldCup matches. Take a tour of the venue! pic.twitter.com/F5SqzHluGr

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 21, 2020

12:51 PM

The toss for the Women's T20 World Cup opener will take place shortly.