Australia Women defeated India Women by 3 wickets in an opening match of Women’s Cricket at Commonwealth Games 2022.
Ashleigh Gardner’s fightback helped the Aussies to recover from a top-order failure.
India Women’s pacer Renuka Singh cleared Aussie Women’s top order. Renuka restricted them at 34-4. Aussie Women were 49/5 at one stage.
Grace Harris had quickfire innings whereas Ashleigh Gardner’s unbeaten half-century took Australia Women home. Alana King scored 18*(13).
Indian Women’s poor bowling and fielding cost them a defeat in the opening game.
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Kaur, Shafali helps to set up a competitive total
Opener Smriti Mandhana got off to a good start but Darcie Brown got her wicket in the 4th over. Whereas another opener Shafali Verma scored 48(33) with the help of 9 boundaries. Indian Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur loves to play against Australia. Kaur scored a brilliant fifty. She stayed till the end and helped to post a competitive total of 154-8.
Jess Jonassen picked up 4 wickets. Jonassen has been a consistent wicket-taker for Australia Women. Right Arm Pacer Megan Schutt picked up 2 wickets in the last over.
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Renuka Singh cleans up the Aussie Top Order
Pacer Renuka Singh Thakur bowled a brilliant spell. Renuka cleared the strong top order of Australia Women. Thakur picked up the wickets of Alyssa Healy 0(2), Beth Mooney 10(9), Meg Lanning 8(5), and Tahlia McGrath 14(8). Renuka Singh gave just 16 runs and picked 4 wickets from 4 overs. But sadly she ended up on the losing side despite giving her best for the team.
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Gardner, Harris takes Australia Women Home
At one stage Australia Women were at 49-5. But the Gardner-Harris changed things rapidly for them. Grace Harris played quickfire innings of 37(20) which helped to gain the momentum. Even after the dismissal of Harris Gardner kept batting and scored an unbeaten fifty. Ashleigh Gardner scored 52*(35) and took Australia Women home comfortably. Alana King also scored 18*(16) and helped them to win by 3 wickets.
India Women will play their next match against arch-rivals Pakistan. Whereas Australia Women will play against Barbados Women. Both matches will be played on Sunday at 3.30 PM and 10.30 PM respectively.
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