Second Women’s T20I | India ends Australia’s unbeaten run in 2022 in Super Over finish
The Hindu
Fans were treated to an exhibition of high quality batting in both innings and an incredible finish.
‘Full house,’ said the boards on the gates to the disappointed fans outside the D.Y. Patil Stadium on Sunday, December 11, 2022 evening.
That full house — it could well be the biggest crowd the Indian women’s cricket team may have played before at home — was treated to an exhibition of high quality batting in both innings and an incredible finish, too. And the excited, noisy fans — around 50,000 of them — got more than what they would have imagined: a Super Over as India made 187 for five in reply to Australia’s 187 for one. Much to the fans’ delight, India won the Super Over and also ended Australia’s unbeaten run this year.
Before the Super Over, 14 were needed in the final over bowled by Megan Schutt. Richa Ghosh (26 not out, 13b, 3x6) played a blistering knock to bring the Indian chase back on track after the dismissal of opener Smriti Mandhana (79, 49b, 9x4, 4x6). A boundary through backward point by Devika Vaidya pushed the contest to a shootout.
The sublime Smriti looked to be on course to take India home until she tried to guide Annabel Sutherland to fine-leg and played on. She added 76 for the first wicket with Shafali Verma (34, 23b, 4x4, 1x6) and 61 with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (21, 22b, 2x4, 1x6).
Smriti and Richa were back in the middle for the Super Over as the Women in Blue scored 20 for one off Heather Graham. Renuka Singh gave away only 16 to give India an unforgettable victory.
Earlier, it was once again Beth Mooney (82 not out, 54b, 13x4) and Tahlia McGrath (70 not out, 51b, 10x4, 1x6) who frustrated the Indian bowlers. The duo had added 100 in the opening game and piled up 158 for the unbroken second wicket, a new record for Australia for any wicket. That record did not matter much on this night.
The scores:
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.