Australia suffered their first defeat of 2022 after India won the super in the second Women’s Twenty20 at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai.
The scores were tied at the end of a high-scoring encounter, with Australia trailing India 188 to win.
Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath added an unbroken 158 for the second wicket – the highest position for any wicket for Australia in the T20s.
But India were powered by fly-half Smriti Mandhana’s 79 from 49 balls and, with five needed to win from the last ball, Devika Vaidya hit a four to take the game to a super over.
Mandhana then hit 13 from three as India put Australia 21 up to win the eliminator at one over.
Alyssa Healy scored 15 on four balls but Ash Gardner went down for a golden duck and the visitors missed five points.
It was a thrilling finale to a remarkable contest that saw India, who lost to Australia in the Commonwealth Games final in July, become the only team to challenge the world champions this year.
“We just thought we would continue to support each other,” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said.
“Whether we’re first or second, we know we have to beat free and with freedom.”
The hosts started badly as Mooney and McGrath, who made 82 and 70 respectively, punished the bowlers for the second game in a row – the pair added 100 together in the first T20 Friday.
But flyhalf Mandhana and Shafali Verma were unimpressed with the imposing goal, adding 76 for the first wicket inside 8.4 overs before the latter was fired for 34.
Mandhana’s innings were sublime, smashing nine fours and four sixes, but India still needed another 40 to win on 22 balls when played by Annabel Sutherland.
But 19-year-old Richa Ghosh broke three sixes in his entertaining 26-for-13 cameo to tip the equation in India’s favour. Vaidya then retained her composure impressively to hit Megan Schutt for two fours and bring the scores level.
Heather Graham played for three wickets but was costly in the super over, conceding sixes from Ghosh and Mandhana, before seamstress Renuka Singh Thakur successfully defended India’s tally of 20, despite Healy batting in the last ball for six.
“We probably missed the ball a bit tonight, and they took advantage of that,” Healy said.
“What a game of cricket. For thousands of people to be able to witness this is quite special.”
The five-game series continues on Wednesday at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
