4th T20I, Mumbai, December 17, 2022, 07:00 PM
Australia Women
188/3(20.0ov)
India Women
181/5(20.0ov)
Australia Women beat India Women by 7 runs
That is it from this game and it is Australia Women who have taken an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. There is however one more left in this exciting series and that match will be played on Tuesday, the 20th of December at the same venue. The game will begin at 7 pm IST (1.30 pm GMT) but our build-up will begin much sooner. Do join us then. Goodbye and take care!
The stand-in skipper for Australia Women, Tahlia McGrath says that she is proud of the team and is happy to wrap up the series with a game to spare. Adds that she is new to the role but she had help from the experienced players and is happy to get the win as India came hard at them. Says that Alyssa Healy is suffering from a calf strain and is with the doctors and hopes that she recovers soon.
Ashleigh Gardner (42 off 27 balls and 2 for 20) is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for her brilliant all-round showing. Gardner says that the pitches here in India have been brilliant. Adds that it is important to mix up your lengths and she did that well. Ends by saying that T20 is a batter's game and there is not much turn on offer in this format.
India Women skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur says that they were in the game till the end and one good over would have made all the difference. Adds that if she stayed till the end, things would have been different but Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma did well and the 18th over turned out to be the difference maker. Mentions that a lot of their players are getting good exposure from this series and even though they aren't getting the wins, she is generally happy with the team effort. On her bowling, she says that she picked up an injury in the Asia Cup and hence for precaution she isn't bowling.
The Presentation ceremony...
Ellyse Perry says that the game is continuing to evolve and you have to adjust to it. Adds that Ashleigh Gardner and Grace Harris were brilliant and she is happy with her performance as well. Mentions that it is a privilege to be involved with this side and tells that is good to be contributing to the course as well. Tells that this series has been amazing for her and acknowledges the crowd that came out in numbers. Ends by saying that an Indian Women's T20 League will only develop Women's cricket and she is looking forward to it.
Earlier in the game, Harmanpreet Kaur put Australia Women into bat and for the first half, India Women looked in control with wickets in the bag and the injury to the Aussie skipper Alyssa Healy. Then came the partnership between Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner that turned the game on its head. Both were aggressive and put the Indian bowlers under the pump. Perry was well-supported by Grace Harris towards the end as well as Australia Women were able to put a daunting total on the board. In reply, the top three of India fumbled and the middle order just had a bit too much to do. The likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Devika Vaidya and Richa Ghosh took them close but they ended up losing the series with a game still to come. Let's now hear from Ellyse Perry...
The Australian pacers had an off day and apart from Darcie Brown, they went for a bit of stick but commendable effort from the experienced Megan Schutt who hasn't had a good series and was asked to defend in the final over. Schutt did get the job done but it was really the spin of Ashleigh Gardner and Alana King that did the damage. Gardner is just one of those cricketers who gives you consistent performances game after game and she did so both with bat and ball in this game.
India Women started off briskly with both openers finding the boundary with minimal effort against the seamers but once Ashleigh Gardner came into the attack, Smriti Mandhana was dismissed and Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues soon followed. It was then a 72-run stand between skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Devika Vaidya that brought India back in the contest and even when both of them got out, all was not lost as Richa Ghosh smashed the ball to all parts. In the end, they needed just a bit more from the top order to get the win.
An absolute humdinger of a contest yet again between these two white-ball powerhouses but once again it is Australia Women who just had the extra bit of quality in the crucial moments that has seen them seal not just the game but the series as well. India Women gave it their all and spare a thought for young Richa Ghosh who came in with all to do and almost went on to do the impossible.
In over# 20
1
1
4
1
1
4
Megan Schutt 44/0(4)
19.6
1
Only a single to end! This is full again and on off, Richa Ghosh drives it towards long off for a run. Australia Women win by 7 runs and seals the series.
19.5
1
No, she can't! Megan Schutt follows the batter well and servers this full, angling in, Deepti Sharma drills it towards long on for one. That should be the game for Australia Women.
19.4
4
FOUR! Deepti Sharma keeps this game alive! This is full and on middle, Deepti Sharma stays there and heaves it towards the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary. 10 runs needed in 2 balls now! Can Deepti Sharma do it?
19.3
1
Meghna Singh tries the yorker, but bowls a low full toss, Richa Ghosh uses her feet and only manages to thrash it towards long off for a run.
19.2
1
Full again and on leg, Deepti Sharma drills it towards long on for just a single. 15 needed in 4 now!
19.1
4
FOUR! A good start for India Women! This is full and on middle, Deepti Sharma stays there and smashes it past the bowler for a boundary.
Megan Schutt (3-0-32-0) will bowl the final over. Can she defend 19 runs?
In over# 19
1
1
0
4
6
6
Heather Graham 40/0(3)