India eves score 131/4 before rain forces abandonment

Gold Coast, Oct 7: The Indian women’s cricket team recovered from a precarious position of 55/3 to reach 131 for 4 in 15.2 overs before heavy rain stopped the proceedings in what was developing into an intriguing clash between the bat and the ball in the first of the three women’s T20I against Australia at the Carrara Oval here on Thursday. The match was abandoned with only 15.2 overs possible.
India got off to an explosive start with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma putting on 31 runs on the board.
Smriti looked intent on taking down the left-arm spin of Sophie Molineux, and it needed Ashleigh Gardner’s introduction in the fourth over to shift the tone, with the off-spinner removing both openers in the space of five balls.
Smriti got out first, caught by Hannah Darlington for 17. Shafali was caught by Georgia Wareham for 18.
Sophie returned in the sixth over and duly struck with the big wicket of the returning Harmanpreet Kaur (12). Jemimah Rodrigues who came to India’s rescue, the right-hander cutting the spinners beautifully.
But soon after, the rain set in, leaving Australia (7 points) needing to claim just one of the remaining two matches to claim the series, and India (5 points) still requiring two wins. (IANS)

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