Young India snap Aussie run

Mackay (Australia), September 26

Young batters Yastika Bhatia and Shafali Verma dazzled with contrasting half-centuries to power India to a consolation two-wicket victory over Australia in the third women’s ODI, thus ending the home team’s 26-match winning streak today.

The visitors completed a tricky chase of 265 — their highest-ever — in the last over after defeats in the previous two ODIs, thus conceding the three-match series. The win would help India go into the upcoming Day/night Test, which begins on September 30, on a positive note

India got the start they needed, thanks to a 59-run stand for the first wicket between Shafali (56) and Smriti Mandhana (22) in a little under 11 overs.

No. 8 Sneh Rana chipped in with 30 crucial runs off 27 balls. Cricket Australia

Coming off an excellent half-century earlier in the game, Ashleigh Gardner broke the partnership when she had Smriti caught by Annabel Sutherland.

Yastika joined Verma in the middle and the two forged a fine partnership of 101 runs and carried on the good work without any difficulty.

After 25 overs, India were comfortably placed at 131/1 with the visiting batters hitting a boundary every over.

Known for her freeflowing game, the 17-year-old Shafali seemed to have made a conscious decision to bat with caution. However, battling what appeared to be back pain and exhaustion, the teenager from Rohtak gave in after reaching her maiden half-century in the format off 86 balls, ending a fruitful 101-run association with Yastika.

Playing in only her third ODI, Yastika, 21, was the aggressor in the chase and brought up her first half-century in 56 balls.

192 ODI appearances for Jhulan Goswami (in pic). She surpassed England’s Charlotte Edwards (191) to become the second most capped women’s ODI player. Mithali Raj leads with 220 matches

Yastika added 14 more runs to her total before substitute fielder Molly Strano changed the complexion of the game with a spectacular catch at the boundary. Attempting a pull, Yastika ended up top-edging Stella Campbell and Strano completed a diving catch at deep backward square-leg. Yastika had got a reprieve earlier just before reaching her 50, but she could not fully capitalise on it.

It was a big blow for India, who were pegged back after that dismissal, suddenly finding scoring difficult.

Richa Ghosh fell for a duck to Sutherland before the medium-pacer bowled Pooja Vastrakar (3) to leave India in trouble at 192/5 in the 39th over.

Skipper Mithali Raj broke the shackles with a welcome six off Stella Campbell after only six runs came off 20 balls, but the veteran too succumbed to the pressure created by the increasing asking rate, bowled by Sutherland when she tried a wild swipe across the line.

However, Sneh Rana (30) and Deepti Sharma (31) added 33 crucial runs off 35 balls, putting India on top again. After Sneh fell in the 49th over, India needed seven off eight balls, and Jhulan Goswami finished the job with a lofted four in the last over.

Fighting Aussies

Earlier, the Indian bowlers again let Australia off the hook as the home team recovered from a wobble to post a competitive 264/9.

Struggling at 87/4 in the 25th over, the hosts recovered through a 98-run stand between Ashleigh Gardner (67) and last-match centurion Beth Mooney (52). Tahlia McGrath chipped in with a brisk 47 off 32 balls.

For India, medium-pacer Pooja Vastrakar finished with 3/46 while Jhulan picked three for 37. — PTI

Brief scores: Australia 264/9 (Gardner 67, Mooney 52; Jhulan 3/37, Vastrakar 3/46); India 266/8 in 49.3 overs (Bhatia 64, Verma 56; Sutherland 3/30).