Navi Mumbai, Dec 9: Opener Beth Mooney made short work of India’s 173-run target with a belligerent 57-ball 89 to power the Australian women’s team to a convincing nine-wicket victory in the first T20 International here on Friday.
Mooney smashed 16 fours during her stay in the middle, and was helped by Tahlia McGrath’s unbeaten 29-ball 40, which included four boundaries and two sixes. Australia thus took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Earlier, the experienced Deepti Sharma blazed away to an unbeaten 15-ball 36 to power India to 172 for five.
Sharma smashed four successive boundaries in the final over, bowled by Megan Schutt to boost India’s run rate after Richa Ghosh (36 off 20 balls) and the returning Devika Vaidya (25 off 24) added 56 runs for the fifth wicket.
Chasing a stiff target, the formidable Australian opening pair of skipper Alyssa Healy and Mooney gave Australia the start it needed, adding 73 runs in just under nine overs.
Healy and Mooney played some wonderful shots during their scintillating partnership to put the Indian bowlers under pressure. (PTI)
